This Cantonese pork belly fried rice is packed with flavour from crispy, caramelised pork belly, fluffy rice, and fresh aromatics. Inspired by classic Cantonese cooking, it’s a brilliant way to use day-old rice. Quick, satisfying, and full of texture, this fried rice recipe is perfect for midweek meals.
It's a great one-pan meal with the pork belly adding a rich, savoury depth.
The original recipe is from The Woks of Life recipe book, but doesn't appear on their website. I was looking for a new recipe for Chinese New Year this year...and this one definitely doesn't disappoint...it's incredibly moreish!!
Tips
- Optional variations:
- Add a handful of bean sprouts at the end for freshness.
- Add a spoonful of crispy chill in oil, to serve, if you want some heat.
- This Cantonese pork belly fried rice recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - this recipe is ideal for using leftover roasted or air-fried pork belly.
Use freshly cooked rice only if you cool it fully and spread it out to dry for at least 30 minutes. Otherwise, the rice will clump and turn mushy.
Yes – substitute the pork belly with chicken, bacon, prawns, tofu, char siu, or lap cheong (Chinese sausage).
Use gluten-free soy sauce alternatives.
Yes - peas, sweetcorn, carrots or beansprouts work well.
Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan for best texture.
Yes - freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a hot pan.
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HOW TO MAKE THIS CANTONESE PORK BELLY FRIED RICE
Ingredients
- 300g uncooked jasmine or long-grain white rice
- 280g pork belly slices, cut into 1cm strips
- 4 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 0.5 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
- 0.25 tsp sugar
- 0.125 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 15g piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 180g Chinese leaf cabbage (napa), shredded
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
Instructions
- Cook the rice per the packet instructions, drain then rinse under cold water a couple of times. Transfer the rice to a bowl and let it cool properly. NOTE – this step can be done the day before or earlier in the day and kept in the fridge until ready to use at step 4.
- In a medium bowl, marinate the pork belly cubes with 1 tsp of the Shaoxing rice wine, 0.5 tsp of the salt, the rice vinegar, Chinese 5 spice powder, sugar, and white pepper for 30 minutes.
- Heat a dry wok over a high heat until it’s just beginning to smoke. Add the oil, quickly followed by the marinaded pork belly. Fry until golden and crispy at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes (reduce the heat to medium high, if needed, to avoid burning). Turn off the heat and remove the pork belly, leaving any excess oil in the wok (scoop the pork up along the side of the wok and hold it in place for a few seconds with your spatula to allow the oil to drain).
- Put the wok back on to a medium high heat, add the ginger, and cook until slightly crisped, about 30 seconds. Increase the heat to high and add the cooked cold rice. Stir-fry to coat it in the oil and ginger. Spread the rice evenly across the bottom of the wok and allow it to fry for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat 3 more times, for a total of about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the dark soy sauce. Add the remaining 3 tsp of Shaoxing rice wine around the hot exposed perimeter of the wok. Add the shredded cabbage and stir-fry until it’s just wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Finally, add the spring onions, pork belly, and remaining 0.5 tsp of salt. Stir-fry until thoroughly combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt before serving, if needed.
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Cantonese Pork Belly Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 300 g (0.7 lb) uncooked jasmine or long-grain white rice
- 280 g (0.6 lb) pork belly slices cut into 1cm strips
- 4 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 0.5 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
- 0.25 tsp sugar
- 0.125 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 15 g (0.5 oz) piece fresh ginger grated
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 180 g (0.4 lb) Chinese leaf cabbage napa, shredded
- 2 spring onions finely sliced
Instructions
- Cook the rice per the packet instructions, drain then rinse under cold water a couple of times. Transfer the rice to a bowl and let it cool properly. NOTE – this step can be done the day before or earlier in the day and kept in the fridge until ready to use at step 4.
- In a medium bowl, marinate the pork belly cubes with 1 tsp of the Shaoxing rice wine, 0.5 tsp of the salt, the rice vinegar, Chinese 5 spice powder, sugar, and white pepper for 30 minutes.
- Heat a dry wok over a high heat until it’s just beginning to smoke. Add the oil, quickly followed by the marinaded pork belly. Fry until golden and crispy at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes (reduce the heat to medium high, if needed, to avoid burning). Turn off the heat and remove the pork belly, leaving any excess oil in the wok (scoop the pork up along the side of the wok and hold it in place for a few seconds with your spatula to allow the oil to drain).
- Put the wok back on to a medium high heat, add the ginger, and cook until slightly crisped, about 30 seconds. Increase the heat to high and add the cooked cold rice. Stir-fry to coat it in the oil and ginger. Spread the rice evenly across the bottom of the wok and allow it to fry for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat 3 more times, for a total of about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the dark soy sauce. Add the remaining 3 tsp of Shaoxing rice wine around the hot exposed perimeter of the wok. Add the shredded cabbage and stir-fry until it’s just wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Finally, add the spring onions, pork belly, and remaining 0.5 tsp of salt. Stir-fry until thoroughly combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt before serving, if needed.
Notes
- Optional variations:
- Add a handful of bean sprouts at the end for freshness.
- Add a spoonful of crispy chill in oil, to serve, if you want some heat.
- This Cantonese pork belly fried rice recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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