Udon Pork Belly Carbonara

    A Japanese take on traditional carbonara, with some charred pork belly in place of bacon.

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 Cup Gochujang
    • 1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar
    • 2 Tablespoons Sriracha
    • 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • Splash Water
    • 1.5 Pounds Pork Belly
    • 4 Egg Yolks
    • 2 Egg Whites
    • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
    • 2 Packs Uncooked Udon
    • 2 Stalks Young Bok Choy
    • 2 Cloves Garlic
    • 1 Handful Bean Sprouts

    Instructions

    1. Mix the sauce, cut the belly into manageable slices, toss together, pour into shallow pan or baking dish, bake at 275 for 5 hours
    2. Mix everything well and set aside for a half hour to get to room temperature
    3. bring water to a boil. saute the stalks of the bok choy for about 8 minutes until they begin to brown. add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the bok choy leaves and saute until wilted. cook the udon in the boiling water for a minute or two. toss into the pot with the bok choy and add in the bean sprouts. Toss to combine. Pour into the bowl with the egg mixture and toss to coat with the egg sauce and lightly cook the eggs in the heat of the noodles. Serve with scallions and black pepper.

    Notes

    One day while eating pork belly with udon noodles at an asian food court, I broke the yolk of a beautifully fried egg perched on top and was briefly reminded of carbonara. The quick sauce that the egg yolk formed blended perfectly with the udon and pork belly, just the way it does with the spaghetti and panchetta in the Italian dish. I instantly decided to make an Asian style version of the Italian carbonara, and this is the resulting recipe.


    The pork belly is super easy to make, it jsut takes a while to cook. Mix some ingredients and toss it into the oven for about 5 hours. Flip once during cooking. mmmmmm. Make some extra because you are going to eat some when they come out of the oven. It’s impossible not to.
    Make the sauce early so it has time to get to room temperature.

    All the ingredients ready to go.

    Bok choy stems in first to get some browning.

    Then the leaves.

    Noodles and bean sprouts in last. When everything is good and hot, toss it in your egg mixture to cook the eggs lightly and form a delicious velvety sauce.

    Elegant, classy, and insanely delicious. It had all the elements you expect in carbonara, but with asian flair.

    This dish was super rich and filling.