Chinese Recipe : Red-Cooked Pork with Eggs

Ingredients:

• 300 ml / ½ pint oil
• 1 x 1.75kg / 4 lb piece knuckle end of pork or ham, with rind
• 5 x 15ml spoons / 5 tbsps water
• 175ml / ¾ cup soy sauce
• 2 x 5ml / 2 tsps sugar
• 4 x 15ml spoons / 4 tbsps dry sherry
• 4-6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or pan. Add the pork or ham and fry for 4 to 5 minutes; turning, until lightly browned. Drain well.
2. Combine the water, 6 x 15ml spoons/6 tbsps of the soy sauce, the sugar and sherry in a heavy flameproof casserole or saucepan. Add the pork or ham and turned until it is well coated with sauce. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to very low. Cover and simmer very gently for approximately 2 hours, turning the meat occasionally and adding a little hot water if it becomes too dry. Remove the meat from the pan and test for tenderness by piercing it though the centre with a chopsticks or fork.
3. Add the shelled eggs to the sauce remaining in the pan, together with the rest of the soy sauce. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the eggs until they become quite brown. Transfer the meat to a warmed tureen or bowl and surround with the brown 'soy eggs'; the meat should be tender enough to take off the bone with chopsticks. Serve with rice.