Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Buta Kakuni - Success!

Living away from my parents ain't that bad but it has it's cons. Besides missing them, the other major con is that if I get hungry I can't just go "MUM! is there any food?", furthermore I'm in Australia... not in Malaysia, where there are food stalls everywhere , running most of the time... so I can't just run out and get some food and except for McDonalds( There is only so much McWhatever one can take).

When I moved out, missing both the street stalls and mom's cooking... I had to do something about it. Like a true addict, I started sourcing other means of food... I found a restaurant and began purchasing food. Unfortunately at that time, I was a poor student, so by the 2nd day or so I felt the pinch, then I tried Baked beans and that didn't really cut it as well...


Pork Cracking - Crunch!

So I began to cooking quite a fair bit... trying new things...experimenting and trying to imitate or replicate some of the dishes I loved. There were days, where the dishes I put up just looked like what I wanted it to be but tasted real bad... and times where it tasted and looked bad too... but when the moons are lined and the winds blow in the right direction... Success happens...

Success like this "Buta kakuni" or braised pork. ( punches fist in the air)

Ingredients
most important - Pork belly strips
sliced thick ginger & sliced thin spring onion,2 cloves of garlic crushed,water1/4 cup of mirin,1 tablespoon sugar or to taste,2 tablespoon sake,1/4 cup soy sauce & kombu ( seaweed stock) (if available)

How

Fry pork belly on each of the sides. If you wish, you could cut out the skin to make some cracking. In another pot, boil all the other ingredients. Once the pork belly turns golden. Place it in the pot, make sure the water covers most of the meat. Boil for 2 hours, but make sure you keep an eye on the water level. Let it rest in the pot for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to sip in. All ready to serve...

What is your recent cooking success?

43 comments:

alyshä said...

that looks amazing! looks like it tastes amazing too!

Jewel Delgado said...

Looks so yummy. Now I'm hungry... XD

jewelclicks.blogspot.com

Alina.Dellos said...

i'm hungry too :)

Marina Mott said...

Hi!! I came here just to thank you for your visit and ... Oh boy! I love what I saw!! You starting missing your home (food, at least! - hahaha) and become a chef!! It's amazing!! Well done!! xx

hevn said...

I'm impressed. That came out looking really good

Anonymous said...

Good you miss your mom.we all do at ceratin time when we leave the nest.But as I can see you are selfsufficient and the dishes are fantastic.I loved msot the braised pork..man taht is so suculent only lookong at it made me hungry;)

Bang and Buck said...

haha love the name of your blog. it looks great also, very cultural. i'm suddenly hungry?!

xo

Bang & Buck

tasha faye said...

ah so glad to have found another fellow Malaysian! <3 and awww. i don't know how you take it! i left the Malaysia for a week and i already missed the food so much, sigh. +thanks so much for your comment, really appreciate it dude! (:

The Cat Hag said...

Thanks for dropping by my blog. ♥

I am exactly like you!

I miss the hawker food in Singapore which is really expensive and not as authentic here.

So I had to start cooking myself, to try to mimick the flavours as best as I could. :)

Your dish looks yummylicious!


xoxo,
Addie
The Cat Hag
Join My Giveaway

MITCH said...

looks so delish!

:D

onesixthreechirp said...

Great blog! I'm your new follower! :)
Wish you have a happy life in Australia ! :)

Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird said...

Okay that looks delish. You're not helping me, I'm starving!

chow and chatter said...

great job your mum will be proud of you

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

It's so different here isn't it? We don't have the proliferation of late night places to get yummy eats.

Alba M said...

mmm yummy!!! very impressive

Anonymous said...



I love this post and your blog so much.)) You have a talant *-)

I need your help...
A few days ago I got my Ipad. Do you have Ipad? What programs do advise to download?

Ruth said...

I love crispy pork crackling, so this would be perfect for me!

M.ery said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
M.ery said...

mmm, yummy! that tastes fantastic for sure!

Katie said...

Love your pictures! I'm going to start following xo

Hello Naka said...

i wish i coudl trust myself to cook meat ^^;

Karen Law said...

Hi Ron! Awww your story sounds just like the situation my Dad faced. When he moved to study in Australia as a student, he totally got homesick and on top of that, missing out on his home cooked Malaysian food (and as you pointed out, lack of authentic Malaysia food especially decades ago) was too much for him. So he started to experiment with cooking food. At first it was tough but he said he made some success at times - what can you do but try right just like you? ;)
Hmm, it was tough for me too I guess when I moved out of home just because I'm use to food around my house. Eating out here in Toronto is too pricey and ain't good for my health so I just *try* to eat healthy when I live on my own. But nothing quite like a home cooked meal - and I don't live too far away from my parents (about a 45 min drive) so I visit every 1-2 weeks for a few days and that helps a lot :)

Natalie said...

Everything looks soo delicious!! I'm hungry now ;P

xo, Natalie
http://nataliesavage.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/nsav24

audrey marie said...

yum - looks like you have become quite the cook!

Popcorn, Pugs & Peonies said...

Wow, this looks really good. I just love the idea of food stalls being open all of the time. I would miss that too.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and playing along this morning!

*Erin

a said...

mmm! pork belly, delicious. fat and meaty :)

Anh said...

My mouth is watering looking at this. I don't know if we have a crawfish season in the US. Maybe in Louisiana?? I'm in LA, where there isn't much commercial fishing.

Josie said...

I've never tried pork belly but I've heard it's delicious!
xo Josie
www.winksmilestyle.com

MaryMoh said...

Well done for such cooking success! Looks very delicious and like from the restaurant. Love your presentation. I know, being out of the family or the country does help us improve in many ways. If not for coming to Scotland, I think my cooking will still at very kindergarten level :P So, let's give a BIG pat on our own back :D

Vix said...

That looks so profeesional, I'm hungry now! x

Claudia said...

Yes, that's a success. I'd take that over baked beans anyday.

menina elegante said...

mmmmmmmmmmm looks yummy. :) x

Erika Lee @ A Tiny Rocket said...

looks completely delicious!

Life At Victoria House said...

Thanks for your comment! This looks so yummy!
Www.clashingtime.blogspot.co.uk <3

Keely aka The Richest Girl in Bondi said...

Good on you for taking matters into your own hands! My food never seems to taste as good as my Mum's - I hope you have better luck than me.

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

This must be very tasty, well done!

Joanne said...

Seems like you're not so bad in the kitchen yourself! These look fantastic!

Also, I promise I'll email you back today. Sorry for taking so long!

Carolyn Jung said...

You should be proud. I'd high-five you right now if you were in front of me. That pork looks fabulous -- tender, savory and wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Mmmm......that buta kakuni looks super delcious! :)

Anonymous said...

damn you make it look so easy! I'm drooling!! Can't wait for more recipes!

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

Were you trying to make me drool? Because you succeeded!!

effy blaine said...

Wow, you're awesome.

Sofia said...

I want to taste everything, it looks delicious really