Rafute
Rafute is a traditional Okinawan dish that is absolutely delicious! It is a slow-cooked pork belly dish that is marinated in a flavorful blend of soy sauce, sugar, and awamori (a type of Okinawan rice liquor). The pork belly becomes incredibly tender and melt-in-your-mouth, with a sweet and savory flavor that is simply irresistible. Rafute is often served with steamed rice and sprinkled with green onions for a delightful balance of flavors.
Ingredients
Method
- Start by preparing the pork belly. If it's not already sliced, cut it into 1-inch thick pieces. You can also remove the skin if you prefer.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Add the pork belly and let it simmer for about 5 minutes to remove excess fat. Drain and rinse the pork belly with cold water.
- In the same pot, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, sake, awamori, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the pork belly to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for about 2 hours, occasionally turning the pork pieces.
- After 2 hours, remove the cover and continue simmering for another 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and coat the pork belly.
- Once the sauce has thickened and the pork belly is tender, remove it from the pot. You can optionally broil the pork belly in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up the skin, but this step is optional.
- Slice the pork belly into smaller pieces and place them on a serving platter. Drizzle some of the remaining sauce over the pork.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and serve the Rafute hot with steamed rice.
Nutrition
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