Kakuni Pork Belly
Origin of the recipe
Kakuni means "braised square" in Japanese. This dish, adapted with adjustments from Chinese cuisine, is especially popular on the island of Kyushu. Pork belly is simmered for a long time and then braised in water with sugar, sake, and mirin wine. The resulting tenderness eliminates the need for cutting and is easy to eat with chopsticks. Kakuni is served with boiled eggs and gravy.
What do you need for cooking?
Ingredients
-
Pork belly
-
Onion
-
Garlic
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Ginger in the skin
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Egg
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Water
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Kombu
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Sugar
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Sake
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Mirin
Kitchen utensils
- Knife
- Board
- Bowls
- Pot
- Whisk
- Ladle
- Pan
- shoulder blade
- Container with a lid
Prepare tender Kakuni pork belly using this simple recipe and enjoy the exquisite taste of Japanese cuisine at home!
Step-by-step recipe
Step 1:
Pour water into a bowl, add dry seaweed and soak it for an hour or overnight.
Step 2:
Use a knife to prick a piece of pork belly on the skin side.
Step 3:
Cut the brisket into pieces according to your taste.
Step 4:
Pour vegetable oil into a cold frying pan, place the pork pieces skin side down and cook over medium heat until some of the fat has rendered.
Step 5:
After a few minutes, turn the meat over and fry it over high heat on all sides.
Step 6:
Remove the meat from the pan, add a little water, and scrape up any stuck-on bits while continuing to cook. Pour the resulting broth over the pork in a bowl.
Step 7:
Add sugar, sake, and mirin to the water with the soaked seaweed. Mix well with a whisk.
Step 8:
Place the meat in a saucepan, skin side down, and pour in the prepared liquid.
Step 9:
Add halved onion, garlic and unpeeled ginger.
Step 10:
Place the pan over medium heat, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
Step 11:
Add soy sauce.
Step 12:
Remove the kombu, cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
Step 13:
Heat water in a ladle, add vinegar and salt.
Step 14:
Place eggs in a saucepan and cook for 7 minutes over low heat.
Step 15:
Cool the eggs completely in ice water and peel.
Step 16:
Remove the pan from the stove and check the meat for doneness with a knife.
Step 17:
When the meat has cooled slightly, place it in containers along with the eggs, pour in the broth, and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight.
Step 18:
Remove the eggs from the containers, heat the meat on the stove and the eggs in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Step 19:
Place the pork and eggs on plates and pour over the gravy.
Cooking tips
The skin of the brisket should be pierced to help the fat melt away.
Add soy sauce last, as the meat absorbs the salty flavor faster.
If you are using a pressure cooker, cook with the lid closed for 1 hour.
If the meat is ready, the knife should pass through easily.
