Takes 12 hours
Ingredients for 6
3 lb pork belly
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
3 star anise
8 large dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms
2 oz tamari/dark soy sauce/coconut aminos
2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
1 tablespoon salt
4 red Thai chili peppers, sliced (use the seeds, too)
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 c coarsely chopped shallots
1/2 lb wild ramps or wild onions/green onions if nothing wild available
1.5 cups jasmine rice (4 cups finished)
Pre-heat water bath to 175 degrees. Cut the pork bellies into bite-sized chunks about 1/2" square. It's easier if the bellies are hard-chilled in the freezer for 10-15 minutes first. Add all the ingredients but the last three into the vacuum bag/ziplock. Make sure everything is mixed up well so all the spices and flavors are going to be even. Put the bag in the water bath for 10-12 hours. Covering the top of the water bath with ping pong balls slows the rate of evaporation by half.
45 minutes before serving, make the rice. 30 minutes before serving, saute the coarsely cut shallots and ramps in a skillet large enough to hold the pork belly contents, as well. When the shallots start to soften and the ramps are limp in the pan, add the mixture from the bag and cook until the liquids are reduced by half. If you can find them, remove the star anise. Serve over the rice. This stuff rocks!
I love the flexibility of the sous vide. Your meals are perfectly timed and perfectly cooked, as well. I did this dish for company Saturday night and they were blown away. I was, too. I'm definitely doing this again. If you have trouble finding pork belly, go to an Asian market. Bon appetit!
