00:00This might be the most deceptively simple yet complex rice ball I've ever made.
00:05Golden pork sizzles in caramelised perfection, creating layers of flavour that will blow your mind.
00:10That's how I make butadon at home.
00:12For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website. Just google butadon space that you'd find me.
00:18Now we're going to start with a leek topping called shiraganegi.
00:22Skip this step if you just want to use chopped green onions instead.
00:25So grab a Japanese leek, we call this naganegi in Japanese, and cut off the end.
00:31We're going to cut about 10cm of the white part, that's about 4 inches, and cut along the grain down
00:38to the centre.
00:39Remove the outer layers and discard the core or save it for another recipe if you like.
00:45Now take one layer at a time and gently scrape it with your knife.
00:50This is going to remove the slime and improve the texture, making it more crisp and satisfying to bite.
00:57Once they're all done, stock them up and then slice them thin along the grain.
01:02In Japanese, this garnish is called shiraganegi, which means white hairs.
01:07So you want to get them as thin as possible.
01:10Place them in a bowl of cold water and let them soak.
01:13This will soften the flavour while firming up the strands.
01:18Now let's talk about the sauce.
01:19I'm adding about 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar to a light coloured saucepan.
01:25I've measured out 4 tablespoons of water and I'm adding about 1 third of it.
01:30Warm this over medium heat, swirling the pan but not stirring until the syrup turns a deep umber colour.
01:37We're making a caramel base that will replicate that deep complex flavour that you usually get from charcoal grilling.
01:44When it's ready, quickly add the rest of the water.
01:47It might splash a bit, so be careful not to stand too close when you do this.
01:52Then turn the heat down to medium low and add 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce,
01:571 teaspoon of sake, 1 teaspoon of mirin and 1 teaspoon of honey.
02:02Let this simmer until the mixture becomes a runny syrup-like consistency.
02:07It's important not to let it get too thick since we'll continue to cook it with the pork later.
02:13Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside for now.
02:17Now let's talk about pork.
02:18We're going to cut a 300g of pork belly block into slices that are about 45mm thick.
02:24Unlike a lot of other Japanese pork dishes, you don't need paper-thin slices,
02:28so you can easily cut manually at home.
02:31Speaking of cuts, you've got options here.
02:33Traditionally, restaurants use pork loin, but pork belly is much more forgiving for home use.
02:39It's got the thick fat layer that keeps everything juicy and helps the sauce clean beautifully.
02:44If you can't find pork belly, try pork shoulder or butt.
02:47They're well marbled and easy to cook.
02:50If you want to make this soup easy, get pork labelled for some drop salt,
02:54Korean pork BBQ, and Asian supermarket.
02:57It's pre-cut to a similar thickness.
02:59Put the pork in a bowl.
03:01Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and about 1 tsp of potato starch.
03:06Mix it all together to make a thin coating.
03:09This helps the gorgeous glaze coat evenly later, and also promotes an easy male reaction.
03:15Heat a large frying pan on medium-high, and once it's hot, add a little bit of oil.
03:22Place the pork in the pan in a single layer, if you can.
03:25Let the first side brown without stirring it, then flip it over.
03:32Immediately after flipping all the pieces,
03:34grab some kitchen paper and wipe out any excess fat if it's rendered a lot.
03:38We just don't want an oily sauce.
03:42We turn the heat down to medium and pour the caramel sauce around the pan.
03:46We want the glaze to thicken just enough to stick, not burn either.
03:51Turn the pork over occasionally, and cook until the sauce has thickened,
03:55and evenly coated both sides like this.
03:58If you want a really smoky flavour, you can use a blowtorch on a surface that can handle high heat.
04:04It's not required, and my blowtorch broke recently, so I'm not going to do it this time.
04:09Scoop hot Japanese short grain rice into serving balls.
04:13And yes, I have a video guide if you want to know how to cook perfect rice every time.
04:17Drape those glossy pork slices on top, then drizzle over the leftover sauce.
04:23Sprinkle a handful of bright green peas or edamame,
04:27and place the dried shiraganegi in the middle.
04:30I like to add some benishogar for a refreshing burst of flavour and colour,
04:34then dust with shijimi togarashi for a spicy kick, but these are optional.
04:40And there you have it.
04:41The beauty of this dish isn't just in its incredible flavour,
04:44but in how it transforms simple ingredients into something truly special with different techniques.
04:50Want even more delicious recipes?
04:53Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
04:57Ok, let's go over the ingredients one more time, and if you're ready to cook,
05:01grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up on your
05:06screen.
05:06There we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now,
05:09and if you want to watch more similar videos, don't miss my Donburi playlist popping up on your screen as
05:14well.
05:15Thank you so much for watching, and I hope to see you in the next one. Bye!
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