Glistening Soy-Braised Pork Belly: A Perfect Rice Companion!
Saengsaengjeong’s Golden Recipe: Delicious Soy-Braised Pork Belly
I tried following the ‘golden recipe’ for soy-braised pork belly featured on ‘Saengsaengjeong,’ a popular Korean information program. I happened to have pork belly in the fridge, and the result was incredibly glossy and flavorful! This dish is so addictive it’ll make you finish a whole bowl of rice.
Main Ingredients
- 600g Pork Belly
- 1 Tbsp Instant Coffee Granules (to remove gamey odor)
- 3 cups Water (for parboiling)
- 5 heads Baby Bok Choy
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1 Tbsp Minced Scallions
- 1/2 Tbsp Minced Ginger
Soy Braising Sauce
- 1 cup Water
- 1 Dried Red Chili (or a few chili peppers)
- 2 Tbsp Starch
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup (or rice syrup)
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Ssanghwangtang (Herbal tea mix – adds flavor and color)
- 1 cup Water
- 1 Dried Red Chili (or a few chili peppers)
- 2 Tbsp Starch
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup (or rice syrup)
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Ssanghwangtang (Herbal tea mix – adds flavor and color)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the baby bok choy. Blanch it in boiling water for about 1 minute. Immediately rinse it in cold water to maintain its crispness, then drain well and arrange it attractively on a serving plate.
Step 2
This is a crucial step to remove any gamey odor and excess fat from the pork belly! In a pot, combine 3 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules. Once boiling, add the pork belly and parboil over medium heat for just 3 minutes. The goal here isn’t to cook the meat, but to effectively eliminate any unpleasant smells. After parboiling, drain the pork belly in a sieve for 5 minutes to remove excess water.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. Add the minced scallions and minced ginger, and sauté until fragrant. Then, add the parboiled pork belly and sear it. Cooking over high heat for about 2 minutes, just to brown the exterior, will help the protein coagulate quickly. This seals in the juices, creating a crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender. Flip the pork belly as soon as it turns golden brown.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the delicious soy braising sauce. Ssanghwangtang, traditionally used to help with colds, also works wonders in enhancing the visual appeal of dishes, giving them a richer, more appetizing color. Its subtle herbal notes add an extra layer of complexity to meat dishes. (Use this tip to prepare your sauce ingredients!)
Step 5
In a small pot, combine 1 cup of water, the dried red chili, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and Ssanghwangtang. Stir well. Once the sauce begins to simmer over medium heat, mix the 2 tablespoons of starch with a little water to create a slurry, then add it to the sauce to thicken. Add the seared pork belly to the sauce and simmer gently until it absorbs the flavors.
Step 6
Arrange the blanched baby bok choy, from which you’ve squeezed out any excess water, around the edges of the serving plate.
Step 7
Once the pork belly has been nicely braised and coated in the sauce, carefully transfer it onto the arranged baby bok choy. For an extra glossy finish, you can thicken any remaining sauce in the pot with a bit more starch slurry and then drizzle it over the braised pork belly. Your absolutely stunning, glistening soy-braised pork belly is now ready to be enjoyed with a hot bowl of rice!
