Clay Pot Pork Shoulder Stew

* Pork shoulder, 2 to 3 pounds.
* 3 x pencil onions, cut into inch longs.
* 6 x slices of fresh ginger.
* 3 x star anise.
* 1 x cinnamon stick.
* 7 x clove (ding xiang)
* Red fermented rice to taste. You can get it from oriental grocery.
* Cooking wine to taste.
* “Old” soy sauce (lao chou) to taste.
* Salt to taste.
* Crystal sugar chunks to taste.

* Bring to boil enough water to submerge pork shoulder.
* Place pork shoulder into boiling water. Continue boil for 10 min.
* Scoop out pork shoulder and place aside. Discard water.
* Place all ingredients except pork and sugar into clay pot.
– Optional, stir fry pencil onion, ginger slices, start anise, cinnamon stick, and clove before adding them to clay pot.
* Add enough cold water to submerge pork.
* Bring water to boil with high heat.
* Simmer for 1 hour with low heat.
* Turn pork shoulder.
* Add salt and sugar.
* Simmer for another 1 hour.
* Garnish and serve.