Ingredients
Kitchen twine to tie up the meat (optional)
For the poaching liquid:
1 bunch of green leek tops
1 big piece fresh ginger, sliced
1 umeboshi (pickled plum) (somewhat optional)
For the marinating liquid:
2 cups regular dark soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake
1 tiny bit (not a whole piece) of star anise
If you want your pork to be nicely shaped, tie it up with the kitchen twine neatly. You don’t have to do this if you can’t be bothered.
Preparation
In the meantime, put the green leek tops, ginger slices, and umeboshi in a pot with enough water to cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then put the meat in. Lower the heat until it’s barely simmering, put on a lid, and poach for 90 minutes. Let cool a bit in the liquid.
In the meantime, combine the marinade ingredients in a smaller pan and bring to the boil. Let cool.
Put the marinade and the still warm, drained pork into a plastic bag. Close tightly, and place in a bowl to catch any leaks. Let marinate, turning every so often, for about an hour or more. Store in the refrigerator until cold.
It can be kept like this in the marinade in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or, take out of the marinade and store in the freezer (optionally cut into smaller pieces for easy use and defrosting). Best served cold and thinly sliced.
