Pork Kakuni with Scallop Congee - Failed!

Give me slabs of ribs, briskets, cuts from shoulder, butt, belly or shank anytime and I will be more than happy to immediately seek out recipes to braise, stew or simmer the essence out of these inexpensive yet yummy meat. Sure, who doesn't love that tender juicy piece of steak? In fact, I've been lusting after it for months now. I just need to be more patient for abit longer... But I can never refuse a melt-in-your-mouth braise or stew. No matter how blistering hot the weather is. It is quite simply an all-time favourite grub.

Another comfort food will be the congee. Don't be fooled by its plain and unpretentious glob of mass. If you put heart into cooking it and add in some soul ingredients like chicken broth and dried scallops, the fine flavour of this smooth creamy rice soup will bowl you over for certain.

So what do I do when a recipe that calls for slow braising of pork belly and congee was lurking on the net, waiting for me to uncover it and I did? It got my mouth watering and I decided to cook up a storm! But not without weeks of procastination. Let's just say 8 hours of braising, 2 hours of simmering and other preparations is not exactly what I have in mind to spend my day. Until the pig in me dreamt of the dish. Well, high time to gather all the necessary ingredients to satiate the glutton.

The enthusiasm was unmistakable when I finally got the ball rolling. I was eager to savour the fruit of my labour especially when the reviews were raving so much about it.

I couldn't rein in my impatience any longer as I was plating the belly and congee for some photos.

After flexing my half-assed photography skill, it was time for my sweet reward. Literally, because simmering in a little soy sauce, sugar and mirin (I do not have sake hence I substituted it with mirin) for 2 hours inevidently sweetened the belly a great deal, as I had initially feared. Call me frog in the well as I had absolutely no idea pork kakuni is supposed to be so sweet. When paired together, the overpowering sweetness of the pork simply predominated the subtle flavour of the congee.

On its own, the congee was perfect. Smooth and delicate. I could gobble up bowls of it. And that's how I am going to cook my congee in future, provided I am not too lazy.

The pork belly was in fact meltingly tender with little hints of fat as the long braising had rendered most of the fat away. But with such a long tedious process of preparing the meat, I had expected the ensuing result to blow me away with its bursting flavours. What a disappointing letdown when it did not!

Hmmm... Perhaps my indiscernible palate is incapable of appreciating this fine Japanese delicacy. I think the Chinaman in me would rather have the Tau Yu Bak (Braised Pork in Soy Sauce) anytime.