Recipe: Crispy Miso-Braised Pork Belly Salad
Take a bright, citrusy salad and top it with buttery pork belly
Fatty pork belly plus salad equals healthy, right?
Well, maybe not, but we can pretend. In this vibrant dish, decadent miso-braised pork belly, dredged in potato starch and panfried, tops an acidic, peppery mizuna salad dressed with the braising liquid and lime juice.
Though you may have never worked with potato starch, it's a great ingredient to use as a thickener for slurries or in breading before frying. Because it can tolerate high temperatures, potato starch creates a light, crispy coating for the tender pork belly. And if you can't find mizuna, an Asian green in the mustards family, feel free to substitute any Asian greens mix or arugula.
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Crispy Miso-Braised Pork Belly Salad
How to make a healthy mizuna salad topped with crispy Asian pork belly.
Ingredients
- :::For the Pork Belly:Two 10-ounce pieces boneless pork belly:::
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup dry sake
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon red miso
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- One 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- :::For the Salad:¼ cup canola oil, divided:::
- 2 tablespoons braising liquid
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup potato starch
- 4 cups mizuna
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Directions
- Prepare the pork belly: In a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate and let cool slightly, reserving 2 tablespoons of the braising liquid.
- Make the salad: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, the reserved braising liquid and the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high heat. Dredge the braised pork in the potato starch, shaking off any excess, then place it in the skillet. Cook until the pork is golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board. Slice into ¼-inch pieces and set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the mizuna and cilantro with the lime dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between bowls and top with the sliced pork belly and scallions, then serve.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 281 |
| Total Fat | 3.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.7 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 5.4 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 39.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 8.9 g |
| Sodium | 1,033.7 mg |
| Protein | 9.0 g |
