Spicy & Sweet Gochugaru Pork Belly Stir-fry
Spicy & Sweet Gochugaru Pork Belly Stir-fry
Appetizing Main Dish for Dinner! Clean-tasting Pork Belly Stir-fry Made with Gochugaru (Chili Powder)
When you’re feeling low on appetite, spicy food often comes to mind! This recipe is for a pork belly stir-fry that uses absolutely no gochujang (red chili paste). Instead, it achieves a deep, satisfying flavor solely with a gochugaru (chili powder) based marinade. It’s clean-tasting, not heavy, and addictively spicy-sweet, making it a perfect rice companion! I’ll guide you step-by-step so even beginners can easily make this delicious dish.
Main Ingredients- 700g fresh refrigerated pork belly
- 1 medium onion
- 1 stalk of leek (thick)
Blender Ingredients (Spicy Sauce Base)- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/2 stalk of leek
- 2g fresh ginger (about the size of a thumbnail)
- 1/3 cup (approx. 60ml) sweet plum syrup (maesilcheong)
Sauce Ingredients- 4 tablespoons fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup (mulyeot)
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/2 stalk of leek
- 2g fresh ginger (about the size of a thumbnail)
- 1/3 cup (approx. 60ml) sweet plum syrup (maesilcheong)
Sauce Ingredients- 4 tablespoons fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup (mulyeot)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the fresh pork belly thoroughly and cut it into bite-sized pieces, about 3-4cm. Cutting it this way helps the marinade penetrate well and makes it easier to cook.
Step 2
Thinly slice 1/2 onion into thick strips, and cut the leek in half lengthwise, then into about 3cm pieces. Cutting the vegetables into larger pieces will give them a better texture after stir-frying.
Step 3
Prepare the ingredients for the blender base: 1/2 onion, 1/2 leek, and fresh ginger. Ginger helps to eliminate any gamey smell and adds a wonderful aroma.
Step 4
Place the prepared onion, leek, and ginger into a blender. Add 1/3 cup of sweet plum syrup. Blend until smooth to create a delicious sauce base. This is the foundation of our flavorful marinade.
Step 5
To the blended sauce base, add the measured soy sauce (2 tbsp), gochugaru (4 tbsp), minced garlic (1 tbsp), brown sugar (1 tbsp), and corn syrup (1 tbsp). These ingredients will combine to create a fantastic flavor profile.
Step 6
Stir the sauce ingredients thoroughly with a spatula or spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. This creates a spicy-sweet and glossy sauce. Now, everything is ready to marinate the pork belly!
Step 7
Place all the cut pork belly into a large bowl. Pour the delicious sauce you just made over the pork.
Step 8
Gently massage the pork belly and sauce together with your hands, ensuring every piece is well coated. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 10 to 30 minutes for a deeper flavor infusion.
Step 9
Now, it’s time to stir-fry. Preheat your pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Once the pan is hot, add the marinated pork belly, including all the sauce. Cooking over medium heat, rather than high heat, prevents burning and ensures delicious results.
Step 10
Stir-fry the pork belly for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until it’s nicely browned and cooked through. The rendered fat from the pork will add to the richness and make it look even more appetizing.
Step 11
Add the thickly sliced onions to the pan and stir-fry for another minute, or until the onions become slightly translucent. The sweetness of the onions will complement the pork beautifully.
Step 12
Finally, add the coarsely chopped leeks and stir-fry briefly. The crisp texture and fragrant aroma of the leeks will enhance the dish.
Step 13
Turn off the heat and give everything one final toss using the residual heat. Be careful not to overcook the leeks, as they can become mushy! This completes your delicious spicy-sweet pork belly stir-fry, made without gochujang. Enjoy your meal!
