Japanese Pork - Buta no Kakuni

The preparation needs some planning ahead. The pork has to cook in the liquid for 2,5 hours.

The pork belly needs to be in 5 to 6 cm cubes, off the bone. Use the bone on an other day to cook some stock or soup. Don't throw it out. Save the pork fat too.

With the addition of a soft boiled egg and some greens the dish gets more complete.

Recipe for 3:

1 kg pork belly on the bone

6 cm ginger in slices, 3 garlic cloves, 1 large yellow onion, 2 spring onions, 1 tbsp oil

700 ml water, 2  Dashi powder packages, 3 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 1/2 tbsp Mirin, 3 1/2 tbsp Sake, 3 tbsp sugar

Bok choy, soft boiled eggs, mustard, rice

In a wide pan with a little oil start the 6x6 cm cubes  skin side down in  cold pan. Heat it up to medium high and sear the cubes on all sides. That can take up to 15 min. It splatters a lot, take precautions.

Use a large pot and place the pork skin side down in. Add the veggies and the prepared liquid. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2,5 hours.

Cook the eggs. Later blanche the bok choy  and cook the rice. Do not forget to take the mustard out of the fridge.

A story on the end to tell: the picture of the ingredients shows a package of Sushi Rice. Our Discounter LIDL had an Asia Week a short while ago. I bought some stuff and saw the Sushi rice. I was wondering why it was so cheap. Today I opened the package to use some and store the other part of the bag, I looked closer at the rice grain. It did not look like the short grain rice from Japan I usually use. 

It looked different. I checked the packaging and found a very little sign on the back of it. Round grain rice from Italy. That means the rice is good for Rice Pudding! No wonder, many people struggle to make a good Sushi at home using this rice.

After cooking it, the rice was different in texture from the Sushi rice I normally use. But for that rice I pay a lot more money.