Gochujang Braised Pork Belly Bánh Mì
Gochujang Braised Pork Belly Bánh Mì
Ingredients
For the Gochujang Braised Pork Belly
- 500 grams pork belly
- 500 ml water
- 20 grams ginger, sliced
- 4 spring onions, cut into 3 pieces
- 2 star anise
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 30 grams rock sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- a little neutral oil
For the Pickled Daikon & Carrot
- 1 large carrot, sliced into matchsticks
- 1/4 large daikon, sliced into matchsticks
- 80 ml rice wine vinegar
- good pinch salt
- 80 ml hot water
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
To Serve
- 4 baguette, ideally Vietnamese bánh mì bread
- as needed pork pâté
- as needed Kewpie mayo
- as needed cucumber, thinly sliced
- as needed spring onion, sliced
- as needed Maggi seasoning
- as needed crispy chilli oil, optional
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the aromatics: Slice the ginger and spring onions. Separate the white parts of the spring onions for cooking and reserve the green parts for garnish.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Cut the pork belly into 1 1/2-inch chunks.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Blanch the pork belly: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pork belly along with half of the spring onion whites and half of the sliced ginger. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Strain the blanched pork belly and rinse it thoroughly under cold water. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Caramelize the sugar: Crush the rock sugar. Add a little neutral oil to a pan and heat it. Add the crushed rock sugar and cook until it caramelizes and turns an amber color.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Brown the pork belly: Add the dried pork belly to the pan with the caramelized sugar. Sauté until the pork belly is golden brown on all sides. Then, add the remaining ginger, spring onions, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, gochujang, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Braise the pork belly: Pour in 500ml of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the pork belly is tender enough to be easily pierced with a chopstick.
⏱️ 90 min
- 8
Reduce the sauce: Remove the ginger, spring onion pieces, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick from the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the sauce until it thickens. Stir in the sesame oil.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Prepare the pickled daikon and carrot: In a bowl, mix the hot water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rice wine vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Pour this mixture over the sliced carrot and daikon. Let it pickle for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Assemble the Bánh Mì: Slice the baguette lengthwise. Spread pork pâté and Kewpie mayo on the inside of the baguette. Fill with the braised pork belly, thinly sliced cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, and sliced spring onion. Drizzle with a few drops of Maggi seasoning and, if desired, crispy chilli oil.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Gochujang Braised Pork Belly Bánh Mì
For the Gochujang Braised Pork Belly
- 500 grams pork belly
- 500 ml water
- 20 grams ginger, sliced
- 4 spring onions, cut into 3 pieces
- 2 star anise
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 30 grams rock sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- a little neutral oil
For the Pickled Daikon & Carrot
- 1 large carrot, sliced into matchsticks
- 1/4 large daikon, sliced into matchsticks
- 80 ml rice wine vinegar
- good pinch salt
- 80 ml hot water
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
To Serve
- 4 baguette, ideally Vietnamese bánh mì bread
- as needed pork pâté
- as needed Kewpie mayo
- as needed cucumber, thinly sliced
- as needed spring onion, sliced
- as needed Maggi seasoning
- as needed crispy chilli oil, optional
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the aromatics: Slice the ginger and spring onions. Separate the white parts of the spring onions for cooking and reserve the green parts for garnish.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Cut the pork belly into 1 1/2-inch chunks.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Blanch the pork belly: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pork belly along with half of the spring onion whites and half of the sliced ginger. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Strain the blanched pork belly and rinse it thoroughly under cold water. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Caramelize the sugar: Crush the rock sugar. Add a little neutral oil to a pan and heat it. Add the crushed rock sugar and cook until it caramelizes and turns an amber color.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Brown the pork belly: Add the dried pork belly to the pan with the caramelized sugar. Sauté until the pork belly is golden brown on all sides. Then, add the remaining ginger, spring onions, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, gochujang, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Braise the pork belly: Pour in 500ml of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the pork belly is tender enough to be easily pierced with a chopstick.
⏱️ 90 min - 8
Reduce the sauce: Remove the ginger, spring onion pieces, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick from the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the sauce until it thickens. Stir in the sesame oil.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Prepare the pickled daikon and carrot: In a bowl, mix the hot water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rice wine vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Pour this mixture over the sliced carrot and daikon. Let it pickle for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Assemble the Bánh Mì: Slice the baguette lengthwise. Spread pork pâté and Kewpie mayo on the inside of the baguette. Fill with the braised pork belly, thinly sliced cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, and sliced spring onion. Drizzle with a few drops of Maggi seasoning and, if desired, crispy chilli oil.
⏱️ 5 min