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Celebrating a milestone in the restaurant world, these two signature creations showcase a ideal balance of roots and newness. As cooler seasons approaches, comforting tastes like those in Taiwanese stew become especially appealing. On the other hand, radish bites offer a crispy and surprisingly addictive treat that began as a happy kitchen experiment.

Lu Rou Fan (Yields 4)

This classic recipe involves a two-stage method to ensure succulent meat that absorbs rich seasonings.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cooling Time: 4+ hours
Cook Time: 180 minutes

For the Poached Pork

• 500g pork side
• 10ml cooking sake
• 2cm ginger root, lightly crushed
• ½ garlic clove, minced

For the Braise

• small amount neutral oil
• small shallot
• 3 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 dried red chilli
• anise spice
• 1½ tsp Shaoxing rice wine
• ¼ tbsp seasoning mirin
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• ¼ red apple, peeled
• 1cm ginger, flattened
• scallion piece, split
• ¼ tbsp seasoning vinegar
• spice stick
• pinch dark soy sauce
• Steamed rice, to serve

Start by preparing the meat. Put the pork belly in a large pot filled with cold water, bring to a boil, and boil for a short time. Lift out the pork and discard the water.

Put the pork with skin facing down in a new pan, include enough liquid to submerge, then add the cooking wine, ginger piece, and garlic clove. Heat until boiling, then turn down the heat and cook gently for roughly 20 minutes, until the pork is firm and the skin looks clear. Remove the heat and let the pork cool in its broth for 4+ hours, ideally overnight, covered and in the fridge.

Once cooled, take out the pork from the broth and dice it into pieces, skin and all. Strain the broth and keep it.

To braise, add the oil in a casserole with a lid over moderate heat. Include the diced shallot and cubed pork and fry gently, mixing frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the shallot becomes tender. Pour in 4.2 fl oz of the set-aside liquid and all the other flavorings omitting the soy glaze. Heat until boiling, then lower the heat to a low flame, cover, and braise for 120 minutes, topping up with broth if required.

Lift off the lid, stir in the dark soy sauce, raise the heat to medium, and cook for an additional 20 minutes, until the sauce reduces and turns sticky.

Plate over plain rice – the rich sauce coats the rice perfectly. The trick is to avoid melting the fat too much, so the pork softens in the mouth while keeping its texture.

Crispy Daikon Bites

You will need start these a day ahead.

Prep Time: 5 min
Freezing Time: Overnight
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Makes: About a dozen

• 850g Asian radish, skinned and shredded
• 90g all-purpose flour, plus about 100g extra for dusting
• 1⅓ tsp seasoning salt
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 200g crispy crumbs
• 16 fl oz frying oil, for deep-frying

The day before, add the shredded radish in a big pan over moderate heat and cook for about 15 minutes, until the majority of the liquid is gone. Add up to 100ml cold water to achieve a one-part-liquid-to-three-parts-daikon, turn down the heat to simmer, then mix in the first portion of flour and the salt until fully incorporated.

Prepare a small baking tin with clingfilm, then pack in the daikon mixture so it's an even 1 inch deep. Place the tin in a steaming basket, and steam over medium flame for 30 min (check the water level to avoid boil dry). Lift out the tin, let cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for 8–12 hours.

After freezing, remove the daikon tin from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 10 min, just until pliable enough to cut. Remove the covering, take out the block of daikon and cut it into 1 inch bits – these are your cubes.

Set up a breading station with the remaining ¾ cup flour, whisked eggs, and Japanese crumbs in different bowls. Dredge each tot initially in flour, dip it in the egg (switching one hand), then into the panko (with the other hand; this prevents the crumbs from sticking).

Preheat the oil – enough to immerse the tots – in a large pan to moderate heat (or until a ginger piece sizzles and browns in about 20 seconds). Deep-fry the tots in several rounds for 2 min each, rotating them gently for consistent crispness, then remove and rest on absorbent paper to cool completely.

Increase the heat slightly and bring the oil to 375F (or until a ginger piece fries and browns in about 10 seconds). Fry the tots a second time, in small groups, this time for 1 min in total, until golden and brittle – the two-stage frying creates a light shell and a tender inside. Drain well and serve warm with your favorite condiment; great options include spicy sauce or seasoned oil.