Pork cooking liquid
- 18 oz pork belly (500g) (cut into large squares/chunks)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 spring onion
- 5 slices ginger
- 1 tbsp dashi soup mix
- 2½ cups water
For the simmer sauce
- ½ cup sake
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 slice ginger
Garnish
- 1 spring onion
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a wok or large pan and fry the pork pieces for 1-2 minutes per side to sear and char slightly. Do this in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
- Return all the pork to the pan and pour in all the remaining ingredients for the pork cooking liquid. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to gently simmer.
- At this stage add a sheet of greaseproof paper (cut into a circle) to act as the otoshibuta (drop-lid). I used a pre-cut baking parchment circle which fit perfectly. You could also just put on a tightly fitting lid to the pan.
- Gently cook the pork for 1½ hours until tender.
- Remove the otoshibuta and then fish out the pork. Pour the cooking liquid through a sieve and set aside. Discard the ginger and spring onion.
- This cooking liquid can be used as a delicious broth to accompany the dish - see notes below.
- Return the pork to the pan and then pour in all the simmer sauce ingredients. Bring this to a boil then reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer gently for around 25 minutes until the sauce is thick and sticky. Discard the slice of ginger before serving. That's it!
- Serve the Kakuni alongside freshly cooked rice garnished with a little sesame seed and thinly sliced spring onions.
Notes
Make a soup with the leftover cooking liquid
The cooking broth used in the first stage is way too delicious to discard. It makes for a splendid soup to accompany the kakuni. Simply add some cooked noodles (wheat, soba or udon), a few sliced spring onions and a dash of sesame seeds or togarashi pepper and you have a joyous little soup dish!