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Claypot Salted Fish Pork Belly

Singapore-style claypot salted fish pork belly — hearty braised pork belly studded with crispy salted fish, slow-cooked in a claypot for deep umami and caramelised edges.

Claypot Salted Fish Pork Belly

About this dish

Claypot salted fish pork belly is a homey, hawker-inspired dish that you’ll find in zi char stalls and family kitchens across Singapore — especially popular for rainy nights, communal family dinners, or a hearty weekend supper. The dish pairs rich, melt-in-the-mouth pork belly with the distinct savoury bite of salted fish; cooked slowly in a claypot (or heavy-bottomed pot) it develops glossy, dark sauce and slightly charred edges that sing of wok and claypot cooking.

This version leans Singapore-style: a balance of salty-savoury notes, a touch of light sweetness and a hint of shaoxing warmth. Aromatics like ginger, garlic and spring onions keep the dish fragrant while a little sugar and light soy round out the flavours — think of the comforting, soulful plates you find in neighbourhood kopitiams or at a family zi char spread in the heartlands of Toa Payoh or East Coast.

Texture is key: tender layers of pork belly, crunchy bites of pan-fried salted fish, and a thick, glossy sauce that clings to rice. Serve it family-style with steaming plain rice, some achar or stir-fried greens, and a cold local beer or strong kopi for a proper Singapore makan experience. If you don’t have a claypot, a cast-iron casserole or heavy saucepan works well — you can still chase those caramelised, slightly smoky edges like a good hawker stall.

Ingredients

  • 600 g pork belly, skin removed or left on, cut into 2–3 cm cubes
  • 100 g salted fish (Chinese salted fish / ha mu), rinsed, patted dry and roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying)
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for colour, optional)
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp fermented bean paste (taucheo) or 1 tsp fermented black bean, rinsed and chopped (optional for depth)
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 cm piece of ginger, julienned
  • 3 shallots, sliced
  • 200 ml chicken stock or water
  • 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
  • 2–3 stalks spring onions (scallions), cut into 4 cm lengths
  • 1–2 red chillies, thinly sliced (optional, for colour and heat)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
  • Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
  • Coriander leaves or extra spring onions, to garnish (optional)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prepare ingredients: cut pork belly into 2–3 cm cubes, rinse salted fish lightly and pat dry, slice garlic, ginger and shallots, and mix light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine and sugar in a small bowl.
  2. Pan-fry salted fish: heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over medium heat, fry the chopped salted fish until fragrant and slightly crispy (about 2–3 minutes). Remove and set aside — this reduces surface salt and adds texture.
  3. Brown the pork: in a claypot or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high. Add pork belly pieces and brown on all sides (about 6–8 minutes) to render some fat and build flavour. If using a wok, sear then transfer to the claypot.
  4. Sauté aromatics: push pork to the side, lower heat to medium, add garlic, ginger and shallots and stir until fragrant (30–45 seconds) — be careful not to burn the garlic.
  5. Build the sauce: add the combined sauce mix and fermented bean paste (if using) to the pot, stir to coat the pork, then pour in the chicken stock or water. Scrape up any browned bits from the base for extra flavour.
  6. Add salted fish and simmer: scatter the fried salted fish over the pork, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes until pork belly is tender and the sauce has reduced.
  7. Thicken and finish: remove the lid, increase heat to medium, stir in the cornflour slurry little by little until the sauce is glossy and coats the pork (about 1–2 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch of sugar or a splash of light soy if needed.
  8. Final aromatics and crisp: add spring onions and sliced chillies, cook for another 1–2 minutes. For a slight char like hawker stalls, increase heat briefly and stir constantly to caramelise edges — do this carefully to avoid burning.
  9. Serve: drizzle sesame oil, sprinkle white pepper, garnish with coriander or extra spring onions, and bring the claypot straight to the table with steamed rice on the side. Leftovers reheat well and deepen in flavour overnight.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Salted fish varies in saltiness — fry and taste a small piece first, then adjust the seasoning of the whole dish to avoid over-salting.
  • If you don’t have a claypot, use a heavy-bottomed cast-iron pot or casserole and follow the same low-and-slow method to get tender pork and reduced sauce.
  • Buy salted fish from local supermarkets like NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or wet markets; small portions often work better and crisp up quickly.
  • For less intense saltiness, soak the salted fish in water for 10–15 minutes, rinse and pat dry before frying.
  • To get a hint of ‘wok hei’ and slight char on the pork, finish uncovered over higher heat for 1–2 minutes while stirring constantly — watch closely to prevent burning.
  • Make-ahead: flavours deepen after a night in the fridge — reheat gently on low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce for next-day lunchboxes.
  • To reduce fat, briefly blanch pork belly in boiling water for 2 minutes before browning, or trim some fat, but remember fat carries much of the dish’s flavour.

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