Slow Cooker Mixed Spice Pork

I'm trying to make more use of my slow-cooker which has been in hibernation far too long and if you don't crank up your electrical appliances once in a while, they may decide to go on strike!  To make cooking a meal for my family more hassle free, I concocted this recipe for Mixed Spice Pulled Pork which pairs well with rice and some blanched vegetables on the side.  The spices and sauces that I dumped into the slow cooker were reduced to a rich and flavourful sauce in 5 hours on medium heat.

Recipe for Slow Cooker Mixed Spice Pork

Ingredients

• 800 gm pork shoulder
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 Tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp chicken granules
• Seasalt to taste
• Sauces :  1 tsp dark soya sauce and 2 tsp light soya sauce

Method

1. Season the pork with seasalt and freshly ground pepper.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add pork to pan-fry, turning over until browned all over, 10 mins.
3. Transfer the pork to a slow cooker.
4. Add in sugar, Bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and chicken granules.  Pour in the water.
5. Cover and let cook on medium heat for 5 hours or till soft and tender.
6. Remove pork.
7. Mix the cornflour with the sauce.  Put back the pork and the cornflour mixture into the slow cooker, stir well.  Cover and cook for 15 mins. till thicken,
8. Dish out and serve with white rice, toasts or mantou.