Buta Bara Daikon
A deeply comforting rustic dish where fatty, rich slices of pork belly (Buta Bara) are simmered slowly with thick, juicy rounds of daikon radish. The radish acts like a sponge, soaking up the sweet and savory pork-infused soy broth.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb Thinly sliced pork belly
- 1/2 large Daikon radish
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1.5 cups Dashi stock
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Sake
- 2 tbsp Mirin
- 1 tbsp Sugar
Instructions
- Preparation: Peel the daikon thickly and cut it into 1-inch rounds. Parboil the daikon in water for 10 minutes until slightly translucent, then drain. Cut the pork belly into 2-inch lengths.
- Brown the Pork: Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly slices and cook until they release their fat and turn slightly browned.
- Add Daikon and Broth: Add the parboiled daikon rounds to the pot. Pour in the dashi stock, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil and skim off any scum from the surface.
- Simmer: Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover the ingredients with a drop lid (Otoshibuta) and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce and the daikon to become deeply stained and tender.
- Rest and Serve: Turn off the heat and let it rest in the pot for 15 minutes (the flavors absorb as it cools). Reheat gently before serving in a deep bowl.
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