Kevin's Benny Hana Pork Belly

A play on Benihana and eggs Benny: a golden seared rice patty, mirin-and-Pho-salt pork belly simmered then seared, hoisin, a soft poached egg, and a bright Sriracha hollandaise — finished with green onion. A sweet, savory, umami trip through the flavors of the east.

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Ingredients

• •1 slab pork belly, cut into long strips, fat cap scored
• •¼ cup mirin, poured over the pork
• •Pho salt (seasoned salt blend), divided — for the rice, the pork marinade, and finishing the sear* (to taste)
• •garlic, for the pork belly (to taste)
• •1 cup jasmine rice
• •1 ½ cups coconut milk, for the rice cooker
• •miso, for the rice cooker (to taste)
• •2 large fresh ginger, pieces ("toes") (added to the rice cooker, removed after the first cycle)
• •butter, for cooking the rice patties (to taste)
• •2 eggs, for the rice patty mixture
• •2 eggs, for poaching
• •2 capfuls rice wine vinegar, for the poaching water
• •hollandaise sauce (per Episode One technique)** (to taste)
• •Sriracha, stirred into the hollandaise (to taste)
• •2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• •green onion, for garnish (to taste)
• •4 shiitake mushroom caps (optional)
• •1 tbsp tamari (for optional mushrooms)

Steps

1. Cut the pork belly: Cut the pork belly into long strips, then cut about three-quarters of the way through from the backside, stopping just at the fat cap — just cutting to the flush, not through it.
2. Marinate the pork belly: Pour mirin over the pork so it gets to know everybody, then coat well with a healthy portion of Pho salt — go over it in several passes to make sure it's fully coated. Let it rest for about 45 minutes.
   45:00 Start ↶
3. Start the rice: Rinse the jasmine rice and add it to the rice cooker along with Pho salt, miso, a few pieces of fresh ginger, and 1½ cups coconut milk. Stir it all together and let it get to know each other, then close the lid and run the rice cooker for one cycle.
4. Second rice cycle: After the first cycle, take the ginger pieces out, stir everything up, and run the rice cooker for a second cycle.
5. Cool the rice: When the rice is done, spread it onto a sheet tray and put it in the fridge to cool.
6. Simmer the pork: Simmer the marinated pork belly on medium heat, straining out any impurities with a ladle as it cooks. Simmer for anywhere from 25 minutes up to an hour.
   25:00 Start ↶
7. Sear the pork: Sear the simmered pork belly on medium heat. Add a bit of garlic over the pork after the second turn, along with a little more Pho salt while it cooks for extra flavor.
8. Make the Sriracha hollandaise: Stir Sriracha into hollandaise sauce made using the Episode One technique.
9. Poach the eggs: Add the rice wine vinegar to the poaching water, then crack the eggs directly in. Gently nudge them with a slotted spoon so they don't stick to the bottom, and let them sit until they have a lovely little bounce to them.
10. Form the rice patties: Crack eggs into the cooled rice mixture to bind it into a patty consistency. Heat butter on a flat top, add the rice mixture, and brown on one side. Once browned, flip and press to set.
11. Optional: shiitake mushrooms: If using, place shiitake mushroom caps cap-side down in the pork drippings and add a splash of tamari. Layer these on top of the pork after the hoisin.
12. Assemble: Start with the rice patty, then the pork belly, a little hoisin, the poached egg, and the Sriracha hollandaise. Finish with green onion.
13. Serve: Serve while hot.