The Seoul Bowl "Crispy Korean Pork Belly Bowl with House-Made Banchan Pickles"

Step 1

For the pork belly: Combine gochujang, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. For best results let the marinade rest for 48 hours to allow flavors to marry.

Step 2

Reserve 1 cup marinade to thicken and use as glaze when finishing dish.

Step 3

Place pork belly in a hotel pan. Pour marinade over pork belly, making sure all surfaces are covered. Cover in foil and let marinade 24 to 48 hours, refrigerated.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Step 5

Roast pork for 4 hours. Remove from marinade and let pork cool overnight in refrigerator.

Step 6

Slice pork into 2-by-8-inch blocks, then slice into 1/4-inch slabs.

Step 7

For the kimchi: Quarter the cabbage, then slice into 2-inch sections. Place cabbage in a container and cover with cold water. Add salt. Cover and let sit 12 hours to allow cabbage to brine.

Step 8

Drain well. Combine cabbage with kimchi marinade, scallions, carrots, garlic, ginger, gochugaru and fish sauce in a large mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Bottle and refrigerate.

Step 9

For the Korean pickled onion: Place onions and jalapeno in a mason jar or container with lid.

Step 10

Combine soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepot and bring to a simmer. Pour hot liquid over onions, then let cool. Refrigerate 48 hours before serving.

Step 11

For wakame seaweed and cucumber quick pickle: Place wakame seaweed in a bowl and cover with cold water to hydrate.

Step 12

Quarter cucumbers, then slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Place cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle liberally with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let cucumber rest, draining in sink to allow water to be drawn out, 1 hour.

Step 13

Simmer vinegar with remaining cup sugar and tablespoon salt in a saucepan.

Step 14

Let cool. Squeeze moisture from wakame, then combine with cucumber. Cover with marinade and refrigerate overnight before using.

Step 15

For the Korean mung bean sprout salad: Bring 4 cups water and the salt to a boil in a saucepan.

Step 16

Place bean sprouts in a colander in sink. Pour boiling salted water over bean sprouts, then rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Let drain well.

Step 17

Combine bean sprouts with sesame oil, dashi, sesame seeds, pepper and scallions in a mixing bowl and let flavors marry 30 minutes or longer, refrigerated.

Step 18

For the steamed white rice: Wash rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Add rice to a Japanese rice steamer and add 3 cups cool water. Cook until done, then let rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 19

For the Seoul bowl: Heat a cast-iron skillet. Cook pork belly until crispy.

Step 20

Stir the cornstarch into 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, then stir into the reserved pork belly marinade in a small saucepan. Simmer 1 minute.

Step 21

Mound 1/2 to 3/4 cup rice in an individual serving bowl. Arrange the four Korean pickles on rice. Fan 3 to 4 slices cooked pork belly on pickles/rice. Drizzle with thickened sauce.

Step 22

Garnish with thinly sliced scallions. Repeat with remaining ingredients.