Kakuni

Kakuni is a braised pork dish originating from Nagasaki. The name kakuni means square simmered, referring to the typical shape of the dish. In order to prepare it, thick slices of pork belly are slowly simmered in soy sauce, sake, mirin, dashi, and sugar. The slow-cooking process renders out most of the fat, which turns into gelatin, imparting a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture to the meat. It is recommended to pair kakuni with daikon, scallions, and karashi.