Since reading a book called Japanese Soul Food, my mind had been blown by the diversity of their food. For someone who hasn't even set foot in the country, I do a lot of Japanese cooking, based on this book. We’re talking a small obsession here. I’ve begun messing around by putting a slab of pork belly through the grinder. The fattiness of the meat provides a sticky film that coats the rice perfectly. Sticky film? Really? Is that a good thing? You better believe it is.
What you’ll need:
Canola oil, coconut oil or rapeseed oil
400g x pork belly, rind removed and minced (If you don’t have a nice butcher just ask for pork mince or buy belly and chop it very finely by hand)
1 x thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 x cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 x spring onions, finely sliced plus extra to serve
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup sake
1 - 2 drops sesame oil
2 x tablespoons Korean chilli paste (alternatively just use 2 fresh chillies, chopped)
To serve:
Steamed white rice, kept warm.
Kimchi or mango atchar
Coriander, roughly chopped
What you’ll do:
- In a shallow, large-surface frying pan, add a little cooking oil and start cooking the ginger, the spring onion and the garlic.
- After a few minutes, add the pork, the soy sauce and the sake.
- Toss to combine and then add the chilli paste, mixing it in as you work.
- When the liquid has reduced into a nice, sticky consistency remove from the heat.
- Add the sesame oil.
- To serve, spoon rice into bowl, top with the pork and garnish with spring onion and kimchi.
Order yourself a pork belly here.