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Pork Ankake Fried Rice

This Pork Ankake Fried Rice is an exquisite dish featuring fluffy golden fried rice topped with a punchy, special ankake (thickened sauce). Enjoy this superb recipe that transcends home cooking, recreating the taste of my grandfather's Chinese restaurant.

Steps

In a bowl, combine [C] Chinese Soup Paste (Shantan) 1 tsp, [C] Soy Sauce 1/2 tbsp, [C] Oyster Sauce 1/2 tbsp, [C] Sugar 1 tbsp, and [C] Potato Starch 1.5 tbsp. Mix well to avoid lumps. [Key Tip!] Since the fried rice itself is lightly seasoned, make sure the ankake sauce is flavorful. Also, because no vegetables are used in the sauce, the water content is stable, and by adding the potato starch from the start, you save time adjusting the thickness.
🕒 00:33
Add [C] Water 300ml to the mixed seasonings and stir briefly.
🕒 01:24
Prepare [A] Soy Sauce 1/2 tsp in a separate container.
🕒 01:41
In another separate container, prepare [A] Salt 2 pinches and [A] MSG (Umami Seasoning) 2 pinches.
🕒 01:41
Prepare [B] Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) 2 tbsp.
🕒 02:06
Lightly beat 3 eggs.
🕒 02:12
Trim the root of the 15g garlic, cut in half, peel, and remove the sprout.
🕒 02:32
Grate the garlic and 10g ginger into the prepared seasoning mixture (Step 2) and mix.
🕒 03:10
Thinly slice 1/3 stalk of green onion. Reserve a small amount for garnish and add the rest to a bowl.
🕒 03:40
Cut the 60g Naruto (fish cake) into pieces about two sizes larger than rice grains, and place them in the bowl with the green onions.
🕒 04:15
Roughly chop the 200g Pork Butt (Koma) into 2cm pieces. [Key Tip!] Cutting the pork into smaller pieces allows the ankake to coat the ingredients evenly and makes it easier to eat with a spoon.
🕒 05:13
Add [B] Salt 2 pinches, [B] Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) 2 tbsp, and [B] Potato Starch 2 tsp to the bowl with the chopped pork. Mix thoroughly by kneading. [Key Tip!] Adding potato starch prevents the meat's moisture from escaping, keeping it tender even after simmering.
🕒 05:59
Heat a deep frying pan over low to medium heat and add a small amount of oil.
🕒 06:38
Add the kneaded pork to the frying pan, spread it out, and sear both sides. [Key Tip!] By searing the meat thoroughly before simmering, you remove any gamey odor and enhance its flavor. The meat should be crumbly for easy eating with a spoon.
🕒 06:51
Once the pork is cooked through, turn off the heat. [Key Tip!] Adding the seasoning mixture while the heat is on can cause lumps, so always turn off the heat first.
🕒 07:15
Stir the prepared seasoning mixture (Step 8) well again, then pour it into the frying pan. Stir well to prevent sticking to the bottom.
🕒 07:26
Turn the heat back to low to medium. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula while bringing to a boil and thickening the sauce. [Key Tip!] If you don't stir while boiling, the bottom can burn or become lumpy, so keep stirring continuously.
🕒 07:42
Once the sauce has thickened, the ankake is ready. Cover and keep warm.
🕒 08:01
Heat another frying pan over low to medium heat, add a generous amount of oil, and heat thoroughly. [Key Tip!] Making fried rice over high heat requires skill. By cooking it slowly over low to medium heat, it will turn out fluffy.
🕒 08:21
Once the oil is hot, add the lightly beaten eggs and cook until the edges are set. [Key Tip!] To maintain a fluffy texture in the egg, add the rice after the edges have firmed up.
🕒 09:00
As the edges of the egg set, add 300g of rice. Use the back of a spoon to break up any clumps and mix the egg and oil evenly into the rice. [Key Tip!] By breaking up the rice with the back of a spoon while mixing, each grain will be coated with egg and oil, resulting in fluffy fried rice.
🕒 09:17
Add the [A] Salt and MSG (Umami Seasoning), chopped green onions, and Naruto (fish cake). Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes to evaporate surface moisture. [Key Tip!] Even if you don't toss the pan, stirring while frying will result in sufficiently fluffy fried rice.
🕒 09:49
Push the fried rice to the side of the pan. Add [A] Soy Sauce 1/2 tsp to the empty space and let it lightly caramelize to add flavor. [Key Tip!] Caramelizing the soy sauce slightly before adding it enhances its aroma and significantly boosts its fragrance compared to adding it directly.
🕒 10:13
The fried rice is ready. Press it into a rice container to shape it, then plate it.
🕒 10:38
Reheat the kept-warm ankake sauce. [Key Tip!] Reheating the ankake just before serving prevents the fried rice from cooling down and allows for unhurried plating.
🕒 11:02
Pour the warmed ankake sauce over the plated fried rice.
🕒 11:19