Slow-Cooked Pork Belly in Burmese Five-Spice Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-15 · Updated 2026-06-15

Tender pork belly braised slowly in a rich Burmese five-spice and tamarind sauce, yielding a melt-in-your-mouth savory-sour flavor profile. This Asian-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 130 minutes, blends vegetable oil, onion, sliced, garlic cloves, smashed into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 800 g pork belly, skin on, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large (200 g) onion, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tbsp ginger, sliced
• 2 tsp Burmese five-spice powder
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 800 g cubed pork belly and sear for 6-8 minutes until all sides are golden brown and crispy at the edges.
2. Step 2: Add 1 large sliced onion, 5 smashed garlic cloves, and 2 tbsp sliced ginger to the pot. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onion softens and the mixture is fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tsp Burmese five-spice powder, 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 3 tbsp light soy sauce, and 2 tbsp brown sugar. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring so the pork is coated in the aromatic sauce.
4. Step 4: Pour in 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes until the pork belly is tender and the sauce thickens.
5. Step 5: Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes to concentrate the sauce. Garnish with 2 chopped green onions and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds before serving.