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Gochujang Pork Belly Strips with Lettuce Leaves & Cucumber

October 13

I apologise to my long time readers but I do love anything eaten in lettuce cups and so while this may look familiar it’s the recipe for Gochujang Pork Belly Strips that are the standout here. You can get pork belly strips quite easily here in Ireland in the butchers and supermarkets. They are quite versatile and a worthwhile addition to your shopping list. Here they rely on Korean gochujang, a fermented chilli paste which is an essential ingredient in Korean cuisine. You can find it in most Asian specialty shops and it keeps well for a couple of months in the fridge. The recipe will work with the more readily available sriracha sauce but it’s worth seeking out gochujang to add to your regular cooking routine.

Serves 6
60mins

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Place the pork belly strips into a roasting tin so they fit snugly. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl, Pour over the pork belly strips and toss to coat evenly. Cook for 45 minutes, turning every so often until they are tender and sticky.
2. Meanwhile, for the pickled cucumber, heat the vinegar and sugar over a medium heat with the chilli flakes and 2 tbsp of water until the sugar is dissolved. Put the cucumber and daikon (if using) in a bowl and pour the hot vinegar over the top. Leave to pickle whilst the pork cooks.
3. Cook the sticky rice according to the packet instructions and put the lettuce leaves & herbs onto a serving platter.
4. Once the pork is sticky and tender, rest for 10 minutes then slice into pieces. Serve with the rice, toasted sesame seeds, platter of greens and quick pickled cucumber so people can fill their own leaves & enjoy.

For the pork belly strips:

28oz pork belly strips

2 tbsp gochujang paste

3cm fresh ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, grated

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp mirin

For the quick pickled cucumber:

4 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp caster sugar

Good pinch of red chilli pepper flakes

1 cucumber, deseeded and julienned

½ mooli/daikon, peeled and julienned (optional)

To serve:

10.5oz sticky rice

3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated

Large bunch coriander, leaves picked

Large bunch fresh mint, leaves picked

For the pork belly strips:

800g pork belly strips

2 tbsp gochujang paste

3cm fresh ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, grated

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp mirin

For the quick pickled cucumber:

4 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp caster sugar

Good pinch of red chilli pepper flakes

1 cucumber, deseeded and julienned

½ mooli/daikon, peeled and julienned (optional)

To serve:

300g sticky rice

3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated

Large bunch coriander, leaves picked

Large bunch fresh mint, leaves picked

You'll Need

Roasting tin

If you liked this

If you’ve ever tried Korean fried chicken you will no doubt be addicted to it’s instant appeal. Super crispy chicken bathed in a sauce made spicy by the addition of gochujang, Korea’s famous spice paste. In this recipe nuggets of chicken thigh meat are made crispy without a deep fat fryer and instead are baked in the oven unashamedly with the help of crushed cornflakes. It’s a crispy chicken tip that works a treat. Serve this up for dinner or save it for a lunch box, either way it’s treat of a meal!

Korean Flanken Style Short Ribs

June 23

When Sofie & I lived in Los Angeles, I explored it’s sprawling Koreatown as often as I could. Korean BBQ is one of the most popular ways to enjoy elements of this unique cuisine and cuts like these short ribs cut flanken style across the ribs are commonplace at restaurants there. Marinated in spicy umami, cooked at the table and devoured with banchan (many small side dishes) and cooked rice, its a memorable meat feast. Ring ahead to your butcher to ask for the steaks cut in this style or use rib eye or T-bone with the same marinade. If you can’t get your hands on Gochujang, a Korean spice paste, although it won’t be the same you can replace it with a tablespoon of tomato puree and a teaspoon of chilli flakes or hot sauce.

summer
→

Bulgogi Burgers With Kimchi Slaw

August 26

Burgers with a spicy bite in the form of gochujang, a Korean spice paste that is well worth tracking down from an Asian supermarket and keeps for months in the fridge. Swap it with sriracha sauce and a dollop of tomato puree in a pinch.

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