Ingredients
For the chashu:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds pork belly
1 cup water
¾ cup soy sauce
¾ cup sake
¾ cup mirin
½ cup honey
1 bulb garlic, halved
2 ounces ginger, sliced
1 large leek, cut into 3-inch pieces
For each bento box (serves 1):
1 cup warm cooked rice (or starch of choice)
1 boiled egg, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced or curled in ice water
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven over high heat with vegetable oil. Sear pork belly on all sides until golden, 2–3 minutes per side.
- In a bowl, mix water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and honey until combined.
- Remove excess fat from pot. Place pork belly fat side up, then add garlic, ginger, and leek.
- Pour in prepared sauce, stirring slightly. Cover with lid ajar and boil for 20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook rice, boil eggs, and prepare green onion garnish.
- Remove pork, cool slightly, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble: Place rice in a bento box, spoon 3–4 tbsp braising sauce over rice, top with sliced pork and egg halves, then garnish with green onion. Serve warm or room temp.
Notes
- Swap pork with chicken thighs or tofu for lighter/vegetarian options.
- Add veggies like bok choy, pickled radish, or spinach for extra nutrition.
- Use different grains such as soba noodles or quinoa.
- Spice it up with chili oil or shichimi togarashi.
- Store boiled eggs separately if meal prepping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Halal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bento box
- Calories: 725
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 1840mg
- Fat: 41g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 215mg
