Pork (Buta) Tofu Kimchi

A Flavorful Delight with Fermented Goodness

After a long day of work, there’s hardly any time to catch your breath. Between picking up the kids, doing the laundry, preparing dinner, and tidying up, it feels like a never-ending cycle of busyness. I want to give my kids nutritious meals, but sometimes, I’m just too exhausted to cook, and takeout or frozen food becomes the easy choice, even though it can get expensive.

That’s when my go-to recipe comes to the rescue – Pork Belly Tofu Kimchi. It’s simple, nutritious, delicious, and budget-friendly.

Thinly sliced pork is a versatile ingredient commonly used in Japanese cuisine. I buy it in bulk when it’s on sale, divide it into portions, and store it in the freezer for whenever I need it. Whether I add it to miso soup or stir-fry, the broth it releases enhances the flavor of any dish, like magic.

Tofu is another nutritional powerhouse. It’s low in calories but provides a satisfying feeling of fullness, making it great even for those on a diet. And of course, there’s kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food that adds rich and tangy flavors to the mix.

Fermented foods like kimchi contain enzymes that support digestion, helping the body efficiently break down food and absorb nutrients. It’s truly a win-win situation – quick to prepare and packed with goodness.

This recipe incorporates a variety of fermented ingredients: soy sauce koji, kimchi, and miso. If you have a child who isn’t fond of spicy flavors, you can either add the kimchi just before serving or add a bit of sugar to introduce some sweetness.

One of my cooking tricks is marinating meat, like pork, in koji overnight. It not only infuses the meat with flavor but also tenderizes it during cooking. If you don’t have koji, you can use a combination of sake, soy sauce, and mirin for marinating, and it’ll still turn out delicious.

If you’re curious about the benefits of koji, click here for more information or order from this link.

With this Pork Belly Tofu Kimchi recipe, I can provide my family with a nutritious and satisfying meal without the hassle, leaving more time for those precious moments with my children.

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Ingredients for serving 3 people:

1/2 Large Onion
200g Sliced Pork belly
Kimchi (as much as you like)
Kimchi juice from the Kimchi jar
1 pack of tofu *Note: Firm tofu is less likely to break and easier to cook, but silken tofu also tastes delicious.
2 Tbs sake
1 Tbs mirin
2 Tbs Miso
Green onions (for garnish)
For Marinate pork 2 Tbs Salt or Soy Sauce Koji (or 1Tbs Sake, 1Tas Soy Sauce, 1Tas Mirin)

Instructions:

1. 1. 1. Marinate the pork in Soy Sauce Koji (marinating it the day before or in the morning and taking it out when ready to cook works fine). It’s best to marinate for a few hours. If you don’t have Koji, you can marinate the pork in a mixture of sake, mirin, and sugar, with one tablespoon each.
    2. Cut the tofu and onion.
    3. In a bowl, put the marinated pork and onion, then add sake, mirin, and miso. Mix everything together. Once mixed, add kimchi to your liking and pour in some kimchi juice from the kimchi jar. Mix again.
    4. Put olive oil or sesame oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the pork and onion. Once they are partially cooked, push them to the side of the pan to create a large empty space in the center. Add the tofu there and stir-fry gently to avoid breaking the tofu. When most of the moisture has evaporated, it’s ready.
    5. Optionally, serve over rice and enjoy!