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–+ servings

Buta Kimuchi Itame (Pork and Kimchi Stir Fry)

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 portions

Ingredients 
 

  • 200 g thinly sliced pork belly shabu-shabu/sukiyaki slices, or pork shoulder
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour or cake flour
  • ½ tbsp cooking oil neural
  • 1 clove garlic finely diced
  • 1 tsp ginger root finely diced
  • ¼ onion sliced
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 200 g cabbage kimchi Napa/baechu
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 1 pinch dashi granules
  • 30 g garlic chive(s)
  • toasted white sesame seeds optional garnish
  • finely chopped green onions optional garnish
  • dried red chili pepper slices, optional garnish
  • toasted sesame oil optional garnish

Instructions 

  • Sprinkle the surface of 200 g thinly sliced pork belly with 1 pinch salt and pepper, then lightly coat it with 1 tbsp all-purpose flour. 
    thinly sliced pork belly coated with cake flour in a metal container
  • Heat a frying pan on medium-low and once hot, add ½ tbsp cooking oil, 1 clove garlic and 1 tsp ginger root. Fry until fragrant.
    frying finely chopped garlic in a wok
  • Increase the heat to medium and add the pork to the pan. Sear on both sides until the fat turns slightly crispy.
    thinly sliced pork belly frying in a wok
  • Add ¼ onion to the pan and fry until it reaches your preferred softeness.
    sliced onion added to fried pork
  • Add 1 tsp oyster sauce and 200 g cabbage kimchi with all the juices.
    Adding kimchi to the wok to make buta kimchi itame
  • Mix well, then add 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and 1 pinch dashi granules. Stir fry for a few minutes until the kimchi is heated through.
    Stir-frying buta kimchi in a wok
  • Add 30 g garlic chive(s) and stir fry for one more minute.
    Adding chopped garlic chives to buta kimchi
  • Dish up and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds, finely chopped green onions, dried red chili pepper and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Enjoy!
    Japanese style buta kimchi itame on a black plate on a white background

Notes

Spread the pork in a single layer and leave it alone for 30-45 seconds so Maillard browning actually happens.
Keep garlic/ginger at medium until fragrant, not dark golden.
If the pan looks soupy due to overcrowding, push the ingredients to the sides and boil the liquid aggressively in the center until it reduces to a thick, shiny glaze.
Kimchi's pungent aroma can permeate plastics and refrigerators. Always store leftovers in an airtight glass container and consume within 2-3 days for the best flavor balance.
Kimchi salt levels swing wildly, and reduction concentrates it, so taste once everything is hot and coated.