Name: Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 300g pork belly; 2-3 cabbage leaves; Green onions, to taste; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tbsp sake; A pinch of salt; 1 tsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp shio kombu (salted kelp); Black pepper, to taste

About "Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry"

This simple yet flavorful stir-fry is made with just two main ingredients: pork belly and cabbage. The keys to its deliciousness lie in three steps: stir-frying and removing the cabbage first, searing only one side of the meat over high heat to get a deep brown crust, and seasoning with soy sauce and salted kelp (shio kombu) after turning off the heat. Each step is explained from the perspective of molecular gastronomy, making it easy to succeed without mistakes. Adding the shio kombu at the very end and tossing it gently maximizes its texture and umami.

Video Timestamps

Tips for Making "Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry"

Prep
- Cut the pork belly into 4-5 cm pieces. Cut the cabbage core lengthwise, then slice diagonally into thin pieces (3-5 mm thick). Cut the leaves into 4 cm squares. Keeping the cores and leaves separate ensures even cooking.
Heat control
- Stir-fry and remove the cabbage first. Start with the cores over medium heat, then add the leaves and drizzle with sake to steam-fry. This cooks everything quickly and evenly. Remove once the green color becomes vibrant.
Heat control
- Arrange the pork belly in the pan over high heat and sear only one side undisturbed to get a deep brown crust (Maillard reaction). Searing both sides dries out the meat, so cooking one side and letting the other finish with residual heat keeps it juicy.
Prep
- Wipe away about 80% of the excess fat rendered from the meat using paper towels. Leaving too much fat will make the cabbage greasy, so it is important to wipe it down until only about 1 tbsp remains.
Seasoning
- After returning the cabbage, toss quickly to coat rather than stir-fry. Once heated through, always turn off the heat before adding the soy sauce. This crucial step prevents the soy sauce's aroma from evaporating.
Seasoning
- Add the shio kombu at the very end and toss lightly; do not mix it in completely. This preserves its texture and creates delicious flavor contrasts, keeping the dish exciting to eat until the end.

Ingredients for "Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry"

9 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

300gpork belly
2-3cabbage leaves
Greenonions, to taste
2tbsp vegetable oil
1tbsp sake
Apinch of salt
1tsp soy sauce
1tbsp shio kombu (salted kelp)
Blackpepper, to taste

How to Make "Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry"

1
Cut the pork belly into 4-5 cm wide pieces. Cut the cabbage core lengthwise, then slice it diagonally into thin pieces (about 3-5 mm thick). Cut the leaves into 4 cm squares, keeping the cores and leaves separate.
2
Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the cabbage cores first and stir-fry briefly until they are coated with oil.
3
Add the cabbage leaves, drizzle with 1 tbsp of sake, and steam-fry to cook everything quickly. Once the cabbage turns a vibrant green, turn off the heat and transfer it to a tray.
4
Add another 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to the same pan and heat over high heat. Arrange the pork belly in the pan in the same block shape as it was packed (fatty side down), and sear without moving until one side is deeply browned.
5
Once one side is well-browned, use paper towels to wipe away about 80% of the excess fat accumulated in the pan (leaving about 1 tbsp).
6
Turn the heat back to medium, return the cabbage to the pan, and quickly toss. Instead of stir-frying, focus on coating the cabbage with the flavorful pork fat.
7
Once everything is heated through, turn off the heat, drizzle with 1 tsp of soy sauce, and toss quickly.
8
Add 1 tbsp of shio kombu and toss gently (do not mix completely to preserve the texture and create delicious flavor contrasts).
9
Plate the dish, garnish with black pepper and green onions to taste, and serve.

Detailed Commentary on "Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Minimal Ingredients, Max Flavor! Pork & Cabbage

Have you ever wondered what to do with leftover cabbage in your fridge? If so, you must try this Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry. With only two main ingredients—pork belly and cabbage—it is an incredibly simple and budget-friendly dish. However, because it is so simple, a few small techniques can dramatically elevate the flavor. In this video, we will explain three key points from the perspective of molecular gastronomy so anyone can recreate professional results without fail. These points are: stir-frying the cabbage first, searing the meat deeply, and timing the final seasoning. Just by keeping these in mind, your everyday stir-fry will be upgraded to a whole new level, so please watch until the end!

Tip 1: Why We Stir-Fry the Cabbage First

The first step is to stir-fry the cabbage beforehand. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the cabbage cores first, as they take longer to cook. Slicing the cores lengthwise and then diagonally into thin pieces (about 3-5 mm thick) helps minimize the difference in texture between the cores and the leaves. Once the cores are coated in oil, add the leaves. Cabbage is bulky, making it difficult to cook evenly. To solve this, drizzle 1 tbsp of sake over it, mix lightly, and steam-fry. This eliminates temperature variations inside the pan and cooks everything quickly and evenly. Once the cabbage turns a vibrant green, turn off the heat and transfer it to a tray.

Why Does Cabbage Turn Vibrant Green When Heated?

There is a scientific reason why green vegetables like cabbage suddenly look more vibrant when heated. The green color comes from a pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is trapped inside the plant cells, but heat breaks down the cell walls, releasing it. Additionally, air trapped between the cells escapes, changing how light passes through, which makes the color appear deeper and more vibrant to our eyes. This color change is the perfect indicator that the vegetable is cooked just right. Furthermore, stir-frying the cabbage separately and removing it before cooking the meat ensures enough space in the pan to cook each ingredient at its optimal heat. This extra step is the secret to keeping the cabbage crispy.

Tip 2: Get a Perfect Sear on the Meat

Add another 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan and heat over high heat. Even though pork belly is a fatty cut, adding oil here is crucial. Cut 300g of pork belly into 4-5 cm pieces and arrange them in the pan in the same block shape as they were packed. Placing them fat-side down helps render out the pork fat efficiently. The biggest secret here is to sear only one side thoroughly without moving the meat. Leaving it undisturbed creates a crispy, delicious crust. Searing both sides would dry out the meat and make it tough. By browning only one side and letting the other side cook with residual heat, you keep the meat incredibly juicy and tender.

The Maillard Reaction: Creating Deep Flavor

The browning on the surface of the meat is scientifically known as the Maillard reaction. This occurs when amino acids and sugars in the food react under heat, producing a brown color and incredibly savory aroma compounds. This aroma is the key element that brings deep richness and umami to simple dishes. By searing one side deeply to trigger the Maillard reaction while stacking the meat, you achieve both tenderness and rich aroma. Once the meat is cooked, wipe away the excess rendered fat with paper towels. If you return the cabbage with all that fat still in the pan, it will absorb the grease and become soggy. Wiping it down until only about 1 tbsp remains is crucial.

Tip 3: Perfect Timing for Final Seasoning

Turn the heat back to medium and return the cabbage to the pan. Instead of stir-frying, quickly toss to coat the cabbage with the flavorful pork fat. Once everything is heated through, make sure to turn off the heat before adding the seasonings. First, drizzle 1 tsp of soy sauce. Adding soy sauce off the heat prevents its wonderful aroma—also born from the Maillard reaction—from evaporating. Next, add 1 tbsp of shio kombu. Adding it at the very end and tossing lightly preserves its chewy texture. By not mixing it completely, you create delightful variations in flavor intensity with every bite, keeping the dish exciting until the very last mouthful.

Quick, Cheap, & Delicious! The Ultimate Stir-Fry

Plate the beautifully browned pork belly and crispy cabbage, finish with a generous sprinkle of black pepper and green onions, and it is ready to serve. With one bite, the juicy umami of the seared pork belly and the sweetness of the steam-fried cabbage fill your mouth. The rich aroma of soy sauce and the savory depth of shio kombu act as perfect accents, making this dish incredibly appetizing. Despite using minimal ingredients and taking only a few minutes, following these steps based on molecular gastronomy yields professional-quality results. Try this recipe as a lifesaver for leftover cabbage or as a go-to weekday side dish, and experience this amazing flavor at home!

Quick, Cheap, & Delicious with Minimal Ingredients! Pork Belly and Cabbage Stir-Fry [Japan's Most Detailed Recipe Video] UPG Re-release