Sticky pork belly with jasmine rice
Sticky pork belly with jasmine rice is an Asian-inspired main course where tender pork belly simmers in a rich soy, ginger and shiitake sauce. The Thermomix TM7 cooks the sauce to precise temperatures while steaming fluffy jasmine rice, delivering caramelised, melt-in-the-mouth pork without constant stirring.
About this recipe
Sticky pork belly with jasmine rice Thermomix TM7 recipes bring authentic Chinese-style braising into your own kitchen with minimal effort. This recipe lets the TM7 do the heavy lifting: dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrate into a deeply savoury broth, fresh ginger and garlic release their aroma, and boneless pork belly slowly turns glossy and tender in a balanced blend of light and dark soy sauce with sugar. While the sauce simmers under precise temperature control, the steamed jasmine rice comes out fluffy and separate, absorbing every drop of the fragrant cooking liquid. If you are searching for recipes for your all-in-one kitchen machine that deliver a quick weekend dinner with real wow factor, this sticky pork belly is the answer. One bowl, one Varoma, no splattering hob and no constant stirring - just spoon-tender pork with a lacquered, caramelised finish over steaming rice, garnished with spring onions.
Preparation tips
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water before you start and reserve the soaking liquid; it adds a deep umami backbone to the pork belly sauce that plain water simply cannot match.
- For an extra lacquered finish on the pork belly, remove the lid towards the end of cooking and let the soy and sugar sauce reduce until it coats the back of a spoon like glossy caramel.
- Serve the sticky pork belly over jasmine rice with sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of rehydrated shiitake; tenderstem broccoli or pak choi steamed in the Varoma makes a quick green accompaniment.
Recipe variations
- Alcohol-free and lighter version: swap the pork belly for pork shoulder steaks and reduce the sugar slightly; the TM7 still delivers tender meat with the same soy, ginger and shiitake flavour but less fat.
- Festive variation: add a cinnamon stick, star anise and a splash of rice vinegar to the braising liquid for a Chinese New Year style pork belly, and garnish with extra spring onion and toasted sesame seeds.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Grinding precision - The TM7 grinds fresh ginger and garlic cloves into a fine aromatic paste that infuses the sticky soy sauce. [Grinding]. [Precision Control]
- Precise simmering - Temperature control of the Thermomix keeps the soy and sugar braising liquid simmering gently without burning or splattering. [Heating]. [Precision Control]
- Steamed rice - The Varoma of the TM7 steams jasmine rice to a fluffy, separate grain texture while the pork belly braises below. [Steaming]. [Multi-Function]
- Weighing accuracy - The integrated scale of the Thermomix weighs light and dark soy sauce plus sugar directly in the bowl for a balanced glaze. [Weighing]. [Built-in Scale]
- Uniform pieces - The Thermomix chops spring onions evenly in seconds, giving a neat garnish without a knife and cutting board. [Chopping]. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- jasmine rice
- dried shiitake mushrooms
- water
- brown sugar
- piece fresh ginger
- garlic cloves
- spring onions/green onions
- light soy sauce
- dark soy sauce
- oyster sauce