Pork Rice Bowl (Butadon)

Items Needed:

Large frying pan, rice cooker or medium pot, chopping board, sharp knife, grater, plate, serving bowls.

Ingredients needed:

Plastic wrap.

Prep in:

20 mins

Cook in:

30 mins

Spice Rating:

0/3 Chilli

Difficulty:

MEDIUM

About this dish

Butadon is a Japanese pork rice bowl that originates from Obihiro in Hokkaido, where it’s been a local favourite for decades. The name simply means pork bowl, and it’s all about thin slices of pork belly soaked in a sweet and savoury marinade, then seared until sticky and caramelised. We serve ours over steamed short grain rice with nori, spoon over the reduced marinade, and finish with sesame seeds, spring onion and an optional egg yolk for extra richness.

Dietary labels

Dairy-free, Nut-free, & Crustacean-free

Allergens

Contains: Soy, Gluten, Wheat, Egg, Sesame, Fish | May Contain: Crustacean

Disclaimer

All cooking instructions are guidelines and may vary depending on your appliance. For best results, adjust cooking times and temperatures as needed based on your stovetop, oven, microwave, or air fryer model. Always check that food is heated through and hot before serving.

included in your meal kit

  • Pork belly
  • Short grain rice
  • Spring onion
  • Garlic cloves
  • Nori
  • Eggs
  • Roasted sesame seeds
  • Ahh Maa Donburi Marinade

Nutrition Information

The quantities listed below represent averages only.

Servings per package: 2

Serving size: 400 g

  • Avg Qty Per Serving Per 100g
  • Energy (kJ) 3575kJ 894kJ
  • Protein (g) 45.9g 11.5g
  • Fat, total (g) 44.4g 11.1g
  • Saturated (g) 1.1g 0.3g
  • Carbohydrate (g) 65.5g 16.4g
  • Sugars (g) 5.7g 1.4g
  • Dietary Fibre (g) 1g 0g
  • Sodium (mg) 616mg 154mg

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook Rice

Remove the eggs from the fridge and leave to come to room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking. Meanwhile, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rinsed rice and the appropriate amount of water to your rice cooker. Each packet contains 2 cups of rice.

Don’t have a rice cooker? Rinse and drain rice. In a pot, bring water to a boil (3 cups for 2 servings / 6 cups for 4 servings / 9 cups for 6 servings). Add rice, stir once, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender (12–15 min / 15–18 min / 18–20 min). Remove from heat and let it sit while covered (10 min / 10–15 min / 15 min).

2. Prepare the Aromatics

butadon step 2

Wash the spring onion, thinly slice and set aside for garnish. Grate or dice the garlic finely and set aside.

3. Marinate the Pork

butadon step 3

On a plate, combine the Ahh Maa Donburi Marinade with the grated garlic. Add the pork belly slices, arranging so each piece is fully coated. Gently massage with your hands to help the marinade absorb. Cover the plate tightly with plastic wrap pressed against the pork and rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Sear the Pork

butadon step 4

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. No oil is needed as the pork belly renders its own fat. Lay the pork pieces flat without overlapping and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes until caramelised and cooked through. Repeat in mulitple batches if the pan isn’t large enough. Remove and set aside.

5. Make the Sauce

butadon step 5

Pour the leftover marinade juices from the plate into the same frying pan. Heat on low as the sugar and soy sauce can burn easily. Stir and reduce until thickened into a glossy sauce, then remove from heat.

6. Plate the Bowls

butadon step 6

Scoop the warm short grain rice into two bowls and top generously with the sliced nori.

7. Add the Pork

butadon step 7

Place the seared pork belly generously over the rice and nori. Spoon the glossy marinade sauce over the top to taste.

8. Garnish and Serve

butadon step 8

Top each bowl with a raw egg yolk (optional), a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds and the sliced spring onion. Serve immediately.

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