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Pork belly is pretty much bacon, but tastier. They both originate from the same cut of meat, which if purchased whole is a long slab of pork, marbled with fat, that should weigh around 12 pounds. The difference between the two lies in how they are prepared. Bacon is cured, smoked and sliced, opposed to pork belly, which is typically braised and then cooked in a skillet.
Braising is a popular method of preparing pork belly because slow cooking gives the meat a chance to cook in its own juices. This method helps melt the fat, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of meat. However, what remains is a very tender and flavourful cut of meat. After the meat cools you either toss it in a skillet or pop it in the oven in order to crisp up the skin. No matter which technique you use the result smells bloody amazing.
So, if you are a carnivore don’t deprive your poor tummy of something, somehow, better than bacon and explore these delectable pork belly dishes.
I. Char Siu Pork Belly and Jam and the Char Siu Ramen @ Fatty Bao
Fatty Bao gets a lot of points for their decor, thanks to fashion designer Anusu Arora, but this modern Asian eatery is not only defined by its atmosphere. They have a well curated menu that features a super, tender pork belly glazed with a mustard miso jam. The glaze adds a subtle tart sweetness, which interacts beautifully with the savoury pork belly. And, if that is somehow not up your alley, there is the Char Siu Ramen- tasty pork broth with an inviting slice of pork belly nestled atop noodles, bean sprouts and a slice of soft boiled egg.
Cost for the dish: Rs. 610 for Char Siu Pork Belly and Jam & Rs. 445 for Char Siu Ramen.
II. Kakuni @ Kofuku
Kofuku, run by Chef James Biaka, is one of the most authentic Japanese joints in Mumbai. Another restaurant with a stellar atmosphere that elicits a traditional Japanese vibe made up of tatami mats. The Kakuni is boiled in sake and later brought to a simmer for a few hours. This process turns the pork belly into a juicy and tender piece of meat allowing diners to easily tear off morsels of the pork with a pair of chopsticks.
Cost for the dish: Rs. 590.
III. Pork Miso Ramen @ One Street Over
As you can see Japanese cuisine takes its pork belly seriously. That is why you should slide into one of One Street Over’s booths and order the pork miso ramen. Diners can look forward to tucking into a steaming bowl of ramen, featuring buckwheat noodles accompanied by an inviting pork belly and a slice of soft poached egg.
Cost for the dish: Rs 650.
IV. Stewed Pork Belly with Shiitake and Bean Curd @ Lings Pavilion
Folks call KFC finger lickin’ good, but Colonel Sanders isn’t worth a pile of peanut shells next to Ling’s Stewed Pork Belly with Shiitake and Bean Curd. There are only a certain amount of ways we can reiterate that a correctly cooked pork belly is lip-smackingly -soft, however, don’t let our lapse in creativity take away from the creativity behind this Ling’s special. The added plus is that this lucky pork belly gets bathed in a flavourful sauce with shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
Cost of dish: Rs. 500.
V. Butayakatori — Pork Belly Skewers @ Pa Pa Ya
Pa Pa Ya seems to be redefining the already refined cuisine of Pan Asian. That statement is not supposed to sound snarky. It’s what they do, and they do it very well. Speaking of what they do very well, the pork belly skewers, or butayakatori, are sublime. Someone clearly put a lot of thought into the skewers as they are glazed in mirin, a Japanese rice wine similar to sake, except its use is destined for the kitchen. The rice wine’s low alcohol content, around 10 percent, and high sugar content make it an ideal choice for a pork belly glaze. The clean, sweet flavour of the sauce works in unison with the soft savouriness of the pork belly and holds back a bit of the smokiness coming of the seared skewers.
Cost for the dish: Rs. 645.
VI. Kakuni @ Wasabi
If you are beginning to think this curated list is solely made up of Japanese restaurants, we promise this is almost the last one, and cordially add that we can’t help if some of our distant Asian neighbors take pork belly uber seriously. Wasabi is undoubtedly an upper crust restaurant, but which restaurant by chef Masaharu Morimoto isn’t? However, as long as you remember your wallet you are in for a treat. Borrowing from his restaurant in NYC’s Chelsea, Morimoto’s Pork Kakuni is slow-cooked for 18 hours, converting it to a slice of pork paradise. Moreover, this primo pork is flown in from Kobe, making it hard for anyone to compete with such exalted ingredients.
Cost for the dish: Rs. 4, 461.
VII. Smoke Pork Belly With Hoisin Glaze @ The Boston Butt
An Asian style pork belly stir-fried with chili, glazed with the thick Hoisin sauce makes for a sweet and salty affair. Served with wide rice noodles, the pork belly is slow cooked in a smoker for 12 to 13 hours, with types of wood, like, birch and hickory. This style of cooking hailing from the Louisiana Bayou, straight down into the heart of Texas is revered for leaving meat moist and flavourful.
Cost for the dish: Rs. 597.
VIII. Crispy Pork Belly Solantulem @ The Bombay Canteen
Although the traditional Goan Pak Solantulem is made with off cuts of pork like trotters and neck which are cooked with kokum and onions, the Bombay Canteen gives the dish a delightful twist by adding crispy pork belly for some texture. The sweet and the sticky goodness of the pork trotters is balanced quite well with the sourness of the kokum, an essential ingredient in the Goan cuisine and typically eaten with a Kadak Pao. We suggest you head to the Bombay Canteen before the season ends to relish this unique delicacy. The Crispy Pork Belly Solantulem is part of their summer menu only.
Cost for the dish: Rs. 650
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