SAY pork during Christmas and a large Christmas ham comes to mind. There’s no arguing the fact that a baked ham is indicative of the season. We look today however, at another addictive roast, a wonderful alternative to the Christmas turkey, served with stir-fried pak choi and some fried rice, flavoured with finely chopped red chilli, spring onions and fresh coriander.

How about a Ken Hom roast crispy pork.

This takes 3-3 1/4 hours (including 2 1/2 hours in the oven) plus standing time.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

1.5kg/3lb 5oz boneless shoulder or belly of pork, with rind.

For the marinade

4 tbsp salt

2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, roasted and freshly grounded

2 tbsp Chinese five spice powder

1 tbsp sugar

Method:

Pierce the rind side of the pork until the skin is covered with fine holes. Put the joint rind side up on a rack over the sink. Bring a pot of water to boil and, using a large ladle, pour hot water over the rind side of the pork, several times.

Set aside.

Heat the wok or large frying pan until it is very hot. Add the salt, peppercorns and five spice and stir fry for about 30 seconds until hot and well mixed.

Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar, then alow to cool slightly. When it is warm enough to handle, rub this mixture on the flesh side of the pork. Leave, flesh side up, on the rack at room temperature for a minimum of three hours (overnight is ideal).

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas 6/fan 180ºC. Turn the pork rind side up on the rack nd put the rack over a roasting tin with 2-3 cm hot water in the bottom.

Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180ºC/gas4/fan160ºC and continue to roast for two hours, checking every now and then that your tin is not dry — splash in some hot water from the kettle if it is.

Increase the heat to 230ºC gas 8/fan 210ºC for the last 15 minutes. Remove the pork from the oven and leave it to rest (about 20 minutes).

Serve carved into large cubes.

Tips from Ken Hom

The secret to getting crispy skin is to blanch the rind and let it dry, a technique similar to the one used for Peking duck. Then the skin is slow roasted so that most of the fat cooks off, leaving soft tender pork flesh marbled with velvety fat. Much of the work can be done ahead of time, and the delectable leftovers make a wonderful sandwich filling for Boxing Day.

Sichuan Pepper Corns

To roast Sichuan peppercorns: heat a wok or heavy frying pan to a medium heat. Add the peppercorns (you can cook about 140g/5oz at a time) and stir fry them for about five minutes until they brown slightly and start to smoke. Remove from the heat and let them cool. Grind the peppercorns in a pepper mill or use a mortar and pestle. Seal tightly in a scew-top until required. Alternatively, keep the whole roasted peppercorns in a well-sealed container and grind them when required.

— Recipe adapted from Ken Hom Chinese Cookery.