Sichuan Pork Slices in Garlic Sauce

The Chinese name of this dish is “蒜(suàn)泥(ní)白(bái)肉(ròu)”; literally mean pork slices in garlic sauce. It is the most popular meat dish in summer.
----Ingredients for sweetened soy sauce-----------
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2 cups soy sauce 1.5 cup light soy sauce + 0.5 cup dark soy sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar for a lighter version, you can use 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. rock sugar
1/2 cup water
1 thumb ginger , smashed
2 onion sections , smashed
2 star anise
2 bay leaves
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 clove
2 pieces sand ginger , optional
1 piece dried tangerine
1 Cao Guo (also known as black cardamom )
-----Ingredients--------
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500 g pork hind leg or pork belly
1 thumb ginger , smashed
2 large onion sections or spring onion sections , smashed
1 tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine
1/2 tsp. Sichuan peppercorn
1 Long cucumber , hard skin removed and smashed
garlic sauce
5-8 garlic cloves , smashed
1 tsp. green onion , minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
2 tbsp. sweetened soy sauce
1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce or water for boiling the pork , I recommend using Lee Kum Lee low sodium soy sauce.
1-3 tbsp. Chinese red oil , divided. Some of chili oil mixed with the sauce and the remaining for drizzling.
1 tsp. black vinegar
1 tbsp. sesame oil