I still remember the best Japanese kakuni — braised pork belly I had was in Paris, a Michelin-listed restaurant. Effortlessly pierce through, the rendered fat discreetly melted with a strong Japanese-influenced sauce — that is my dream of pork belly.
I normally don’t buy raw meat to cook, fatty one survives no chance, but even so. To make it, pressure cooker is a wise way to do if you don’t have a thing for authenticity or tradition (or artisan, whatever you call). Time is precious.
While cooking, I particularly enjoyed the crackling part when pan-searing the belly skin. High heat creates pressure within the skin, like a little pop dance. Although all the crisps soon fade in the pressure cooker, I still want the ritual to be done properly.
Japanese often add hard-boiled eggs or daikon (mooli) to cook together, but I like its simplest form also. Next day throw in firm tofu to take on all the flavour. It’d be a crime if the dark-maroon juice goes into a sewage.
I usually buy free range pork belly at Ocado and it is excellent — perfect amount of fat and you’re able to enjoy the meat.
Japanese Kakuni Recipe
Try this Japanese-styled braised pork belly with a pressure cooker to make the whole process much quicker!
Ingredients
Serves 3
- 450 g pork belly
- generous pinch of salt
- Cooking liquid
- 50 g soy sauce
- 100 g Chinese cooking wine
- 120 g water
- 2 ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 scallion, cut into sections
- few ginger slices
- star anise (optional)
- cinnamon (optional)
- coriander for garnish
How to Make
- Season the pork belly with a generous pinch of salt. Heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat, pan-sear all sides of the pork belly until golden. Cut it into pieces.
- Place the pork belly in a pressure cooker with all the cooking liquid, scallion and ginger. The liquid should be just barely cover the pork belly, and make sure you reach the minimum liquid line to cook. Adjust if required.
- Cook in high pressure for 10 minutes and release pressure naturally.
- Open the lid and turn on to medium-low heat. Let cook until the liquid reduce to half. Always taste before further seasoning. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with hot steamed rice.
Kakuni Cooking Notes
- If using additional vegetable such as radish or daikon (mooli), cook in step 4, not pressure cooking since you don’t want mushy vegs.
- I think adding star anise and cinnamon would be a great idea too.
- I think the sauce is fantastic with rice, so please volume up the cooking liquid when saucy is what you going after. (It’d become a stew not braise but who cares?) Season it gingerly. Always taste first after adjustment. Remember: the more you cook, the richer and saltier the pork is.
- No pressure cooker? Put the pork belly for small bubbling for about an hour will do.
- Double or triple the quantity and freeze the extras. Praise yourself for advance planning when the fridge is empty.
