Buta No Kakuni

Name: Buta No Kakuni
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 kg (2¼ lb) boneless pork belly, in 1 piece; 200 g (7 oz/1 cup) brown rice; 700 ml (1¼ pints/3 cups) apple cider; ½ tbsp instant dashi powder; 120 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) sake; 120 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) soy sauce; 120 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) mirin; 60 g (2 oz/⅓ cup) soft dark brown sugar; 1 tbsp katakuriko potato starch or cornflour (cornstarch), dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water (optional); 1 tbsp katakuriko potato starch or cornflour (cornstarch), dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water (optional); 1 tbsp katakuriko potato starch or cornflour (cornstarch), dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water (optional); 1 tbsp katakuriko potato starch or cornflour (cornstarch), dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water (optional); 1 tbsp root ginger, peeled and finely julienned; 1 tbsp Japanese karashi (or English) mustard

Pork Belly Squares in Cider, Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Japanese Larder

By Luiz Hara

Published 2018

About

One of the most loved comfort foods in Japan, the secret for meltingly tender pork is its slow simmering in rice. Kakuni means square in Japanese, so cut the meat as squarely as you can.

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 kg (2¼ lb) boneless pork belly

Asia
Japan
Main course

Method

Heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole (Dutch oven) over a medium-high heat. Add the pork belly, skin side down, and sear for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and brown on the other side for about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a colander and rinse under hot water to remove any excess oil. Pour off and discard the fat from the casserole (Dutch oven), then wip