Braised Meat with Squash & Basil

Ingredients
3/4  to 1 lb lean pork - cut into bite-sized cubes
1 acorn squash - cut into bite-sized cubes
3 dried shitake mushrooms - soaked in water and drained
1 stalk green onion - cut into 1 inch length
1/2 white onion - cut into small pcs
2 shallot - sliced
2 cloves garlic - sliced
2 star anise
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 dried red chilli
handful of basil leaves
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce paste
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp rice wine
salt to taste
1 cup water
cooking oil

Seasonings for meat
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp huatiao wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste


Method

1. Marinate meat with seasonings for 1 hour or more.
2. Heat up oil in a frying pan.  Saute the white onion, shallot, garlic and chilli till fragrant.  Add the meat, mushrooms, basil leaves and green onion and stir fry for a while under high heat.  Add rice wine, sweet soy sauce and ketchup and continue to fry to mix well.
3. Add squash, star anise and cinnamon stick.  Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil.
4. Cook under high heat for 5 mins and medium low heat for 10 to 15 mins.  Sprinkle salt to taste and serve warm with rice.