Name: Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: Pork belly, to taste; Napa cabbage, to taste; Maitake mushrooms, to taste; Grilled tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces; Mochi (rice cakes), to taste; Shungiku (garland chrysanthemum), to taste; Dashi, 200 ml; Ponzu, 50 ml; Mirin, 50 ml; Grated daikon radish, to taste

About "Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot"

Rokusaburo Michiba introduces a revolutionary Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot that uses ponzu directly in the broth. By combining dashi, ponzu, and mirin in a 4:1:1 golden ratio and adding grated daikon radish, the sharp acidity of the ponzu mellows into a gentle, savory flavor when heated. This dish features meticulous preparation techniques, such as blanching the pork belly and rolling the napa cabbage into beautiful shapes.

Introduction to 鉄人の台所 →

Tips for Making "Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot"

Prep
- Blanch the pork belly in boiling water to remove excess fat and impurities.
Prep
- After boiling the napa cabbage, roll it with the leaves wrapping the core and cut into bite-sized pieces for better presentation and ease of eating.
Seasoning
- The golden ratio of dashi to ponzu is 4:1:1 (200 ml dashi, 50 ml ponzu, 50 ml mirin). Heating the broth mellows the acidity.
Seasoning
- Adding grated daikon radish to the finished broth creates a clean, refreshing flavor.
Ingredients
- Char the surface of the mochi with a kitchen torch before adding it to the pot for a smoky aroma.

Ingredients for "Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot"

10 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

Porkbelly, to taste
Napacabbage, to taste
Maitakemushrooms, to taste
Grilledtofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
Mochi(rice cakes), to taste
Shungiku(garland chrysanthemum), to taste
Dashi,200 ml
Ponzu,50 ml
Mirin,50 ml
Grateddaikon radish, to taste

How to Make "Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot"

1
Prepping the Napa Cabbage
Boil the napa cabbage, then roll it so the leaves wrap around the core. Cutting it into bite-sized pieces makes it look beautiful in the pot and easy to eat.
Roll the cabbage so the leaves wrap around the core
2
Blanching the Pork Belly
Quickly blanch the pork belly in boiling water. This removes excess fat and impurities, making it taste much cleaner and delicious in the hot pot.
Blanch quickly for a short timePork belly becomes incredibly delicious when cooked in a hot pot
3
Prepping Other Ingredients
Cut the grilled tofu into bite-sized pieces and tear the maitake mushrooms by hand. Use a kitchen torch to lightly char the surface of the mochi for a smoky aroma.
Toasting the mochi adds a wonderful smoky aromaShiitake mushrooms can be used as a substitute for maitake
4
Making the Special Broth
Combine 200 ml of dashi, 50 ml of ponzu, and 50 ml of mirin (the 4:1:1 golden ratio). Add grated daikon radish to give it a refreshing finish.
The golden ratio is dashi:ponzu:mirin = 4:1:1Adding grated daikon radish makes it even more refreshing
5
Arranging Ingredients in the Pot
Arrange the prepared ingredients beautifully in the pot. Neatly place the blanched pork belly, napa cabbage rolls, grilled tofu, maitake mushrooms, toasted mochi, and shungiku.
Arrange with visual appeal in mind
6
Pouring the Broth and Simmering
Pour the special broth generously into the pot and bring it to a boil. Heating the broth takes the sharp edge off the ponzu, transforming the acidity into a mild, gentle flavor.
Heating mellows the acidity of the ponzuSimmer until all ingredients are thoroughly cooked

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

The combination of inosinate from the pork belly, guanylate from the maitake mushrooms, and glutamate from the dashi and napa cabbage creates a powerful umami synergy. Additionally, the acidity of the ponzu, the sweetness of the mirin, and the saltiness and umami of the dashi balance the five basic tastes. The organic acids in the ponzu also help cut through the rich fat of the pork belly, making the dish taste light and refreshing.

Umami SynergyBalancing the Five TastesRole of Organic Acids

Detailed Commentary on "Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Introducing Chef Sezaki and 'Hiroo Tsugumi'

Chef Naoya Sezaki, one of Rokusaburo Michiba's favorite chefs, joins the show. Chef Sezaki went independent and opened 'Hiroo Tsugumi' on September 12, 2023. About six months after its opening, Michiba highly praises it, calling it 'a very delicate, restaurant-style place, and the absolute best spot to take guests.' The conversation begins in a warm, friendly atmosphere as they introduce Chef Sezaki's solid skills and the charm of his restaurant.

Michiba's Menu: Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot

In this hot pot showdown, Michiba showcases his 'Pork Belly Ponzu Hot Pot,' which uses ponzu directly as the cooking broth. Michiba picks up his brush to write down the menu himself. The cooking begins for a hot pot dish that, while seemingly simple, is packed with unprecedented, innovative ideas.

Prep: Napa Cabbage Rolls & Blanched Pork

First, the ingredients are prepared. The boiled napa cabbage is rolled with the leaves wrapping around the core, then cut into bite-sized pieces. This makes it look beautiful in the pot and easy to eat. The star ingredient, pork belly, is quickly blanched in boiling water to remove excess fat and impurities. Michiba shares its appeal, saying, 'While pork belly is often associated with home cooking, it becomes incredibly delicious when used in a hot pot.'

Supporting Cast: Tofu, Mushrooms, and Mochi

To enrich the hot pot, they prepare bite-sized grilled tofu and hand-torn maitake mushrooms (shiitake can also be used). Additionally, they introduce a unique ingredient: mochi (rice cakes). The mochi is lightly charred with a kitchen torch to add a smoky aroma before being added to the pot. These ingredients are then beautifully arranged in the hot pot.

The Golden Ratio: Ponzu-Based Special Broth

Now comes the highlight of this hot pot: making the broth. Michiba proposes a golden ratio of dashi, ponzu, and mirin at 4:1:1. Specifically, he combines 200 ml of dashi, 50 ml of ponzu, and 50 ml of mirin. Using ponzu directly as a heated hot pot broth is highly unusual, and Chef Sezaki cannot hide his surprise, saying, 'I'm amazed that the hot pot broth itself is ponzu.'

Specialty Ponzu and Grated Daikon Radish

The ponzu used is 'Shogai Hochonin Ponzu' (Lifetime Chef Ponzu), which Michiba developed about 30 years ago in collaboration with an agricultural cooperative in Oita Prefecture, featuring a generous amount of Oita-grown kabosu citrus. To this special broth, they add grated daikon radish (mizore) to create an even more refreshing flavor. The completed broth is then poured generously into the ingredient-packed pot.

Tasting: A Mild and Mellow Ponzu Hot Pot

Once the hot pot comes to a boil, Michiba, Sezaki, and Michiba's granddaughter, Natsuki Samejima, sit down to taste it. Heating the broth has taken the sharp edge off the ponzu, transforming the acidity into an incredibly mild and gentle flavor. Chef Sezaki praises it, saying, 'It feels like pork shabu-shabu and is very refreshing to eat. It would be delicious even in the summer.' Samejima is also impressed, commenting, 'It's not too sour; it's just right. Putting the ponzu in first is brilliant.'

Versatile Broth: Perfect for Seafood Too

Finally, they discuss how to adapt this ponzu broth. While pork belly was used this time, Michiba explains that this broth also pairs exceptionally well with seafood. He highly recommends it for white fish such as longtooth grouper (kue), pufferfish (fugu), and cod (tara), calling it a versatile hot pot broth suitable for all kinds of seafood. The video concludes on a highly satisfying note, offering a new hot pot staple that can easily be recreated at home.

About 鉄人の台所

TSUNAGARI MEO｜月額5,000円でGoogleクチコミが自然に増えるMEO対策ツール