Japanese-style pork belly hot pot
A tender braised pork belly with broth, packed full of umami flavours.
Ingredients
For the pork belly
- 500g/1lb 2oz pork belly, cut into large pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 150ml/5fl oz light soy sauce
- 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
- 1 sheet kombu, left whole
- 4cm/2in fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 head garlic, cut through
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 spring onions, chopped, to garnish
- pickled ginger, to garnish
For the glaze
- 150ml/5fl oz mirin
- 150ml/5fl oz saké
- 100ml/3½fl oz light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
For the vegetables
- ½ napa cabbage (chinese cabbage), chopped
- 100g/3½oz enoki mushrooms
- 6 shiitake mushrooms
To serve
- 6 spring onions, green tops only chopped
- 6 shiitake mushrooms
Method
To make the pork belly, set a large saucepan over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once hot fry the pork belly for 3–4 minutes until coloured all over. When well browned, add the chicken stock, kombu, ginger and garlic. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 3 hours, or until tender.
Lift the pork out of the stock and set aside. Strain the stock and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To make the glaze, put the mirin, sake, soy sauce and sugar in a saucepan. Boil to reduce for 10 minutes, it should be a coating consistency. Add the pork belly and spoon over the glaze.
To make the vegetables, heat the pork cooking liquor in a saucepan. Add the cabbage and simmer for a few minutes before ladling into a serving bowl.
In a frying pan over high heat add the remaining vegetable oil, once hot fry the mushrooms for 2–3 minutes until coloured and add to the serving bowl along with the cabbage.
Pile the glazed pork into the bowls, garnish with the spring onion green tops and pickled ginger and serve.