In a pan wide enough to hold pork belly in one layer, combine water, sugar, soy sauce, wine, ginger and scallions. Add pork belly, skin side down, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover pan and braise for 30 minutes.
Turn pork belly skin side up, cover and braise for 3 hours more. (The pork should be immersed in liquid about halfway.) The liquid should be reduced by about half by the end of cooking time. Cool pork belly in liquid overnight and cut into 4 x ½-inch pieces. Before serving, simmer pork belly in cooking liquid to reheat.
Pickled Cucumbers
Slice cucumbers on a mandolin. Cover generously with salt and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring vinegar, water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cool. Place cucumbers in a bowl and pour vinegar mixture over. Allow to stand at least 1 hour. Drain off excess vinegar mixture before using and season cucumbers with salt and pepper.
Spicy Mayo
Whisk together all ingredients and transfer to a squeeze bottle.
Chef Jet Tila
