Hong shao (红烧, literally red braising) is the foundational braising technique of Chinese cooking — protein slow-cooked in a combination of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, and aromatics until the meat is tender, the collagen has dissolved into gelatin, and the sauce has reduced to a glossy, lacquer-like coating. The 'red' refers to the deep mahogany-red colour of the dark soy-caramelised sauce, not to chilli or tomato. Hong shao appears in every regional Chinese cuisine (the Jiangnan version with more rock sugar; the Hunan version with dried chilli; the Sichuan version with doubanjiang) but its principles are constant.
The foundational sequence: (1) Blanch the protein in boiling water to remove blood and impurities. (2) Caramelise rock sugar in oil until amber — the sugar caramel provides colour and a complex bitter-sweet undertone. (3) Add the protein to the caramel and toss to coat. (4) Add Shaoxing wine (150ml for 500g protein) — it will steam and sizzle. (5) Add soy sauce: dark soy (for colour) and light soy (for salt/umami). (6) Add aromatics: ginger, scallion, star anise, cinnamon. (7) Add enough water or stock to reach approximately halfway up the protein. (8) Bring to a boil. Reduce to very low simmer. Cover and braise for time required by the protein. (9) In the final stage: uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and reduce the braising liquid to a thick, glossy sauce that coats the protein. Timing guide: Pork belly — 1.5-2 hours. Pork shoulder — 2.5-3 hours. Whole chicken — 45-60 minutes. Whole fish — 20-25 minutes. Tofu — 20-30 minutes.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Every Grain of Rice (2012); Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Fish and Rice (2016)