Asupara no Niku-maki
アスパラの肉巻き·(asupara no nikumaki)
Asa-gohan & Obento: The Morning Rhythm
She wraps the spears. Opening a bento box to find the vibrant green core of asparagus encased in a sweet, soy-lacquered ring of pork justifies the six a.m. prep. The trick relies on usugiri (thinly sliced) pork belly rendering in a hot nonstick skillet around supermarket asparagus, before the soy glaze hisses and reduces, acting as a natural preservative that tastes just as profound at room temperature in an Ohio school cafeteria as it does fresh off the stove in Tokyo.
Before you start
Peel the bottom third of the asparagus spears to remove any stringy fibers.
A quick pass with a vegetable peeler over the bottom two inches ensures a tender, effortless bite that matches the delicate texture of the thin pork.
Cut the trimmed and peeled asparagus spears in half crosswise.
This makes them the perfect length to fit neatly into both the frying pan and a bento box.
Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
Combine the soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar ahead of time so the liquid is ready to hit the hot pan all at once.
Ingredients
- medium asparagus spears6 med
- thinly sliced pork belly or loin5 oz
- potato starch1 tbsp
- neutral oil1 tsp
- salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
- soy sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- sake1 1/2 tbsp
- mirin1 1/2 tbsp
- sugar1 tsp
Method
- 01
Wrap the asparagus halves tightly with the thinly sliced pork.
Lay a slice of pork flat, season with a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, and spiral it around an asparagus half, giving it a firm squeeze in your hand to adhere.
- 02
Dust the meat-wrapped spears with a light, even coating of potato starch.
This is the crucial edible glue that keeps the meat from unraveling in the pan, and it will magically thicken the glaze later so it hugs the pork instead of pooling in a lunchbox.
- 03
Place the rolls seam-side down in a hot skillet and leave them completely undisturbed.
Heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Searing the seam-side first for two to three minutes acts as a weld, permanently sealing the meat shut before you turn them to brown all sides.
- 04
Cover the pan to steam-fry the asparagus until tender-crisp.
Once the meat is lightly browned, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let them steam for two minutes so the asparagus cooks through in the savory drippings.
- 05
Wipe away excess rendered fat from the skillet before adding the sweet and salty glaze.
Remove the lid and use a crumpled paper towel to carefully blot the bottom of the pan; otherwise, your glaze will separate into a greasy mess. Pour in the sauce mixture and roll the asparagus until the liquid reduces into a glossy, sticky lacquer.
Notes
Source paper-thin sliced pork, not thick American bacon.
Standard bacon is cured and smoked, which entirely overpowers the dish. Look for 'shabu-shabu' or hot pot meat at a local Asian grocer, or ask a standard supermarket butcher to shave a boneless pork loin paper-thin on the deli slicer.
Cut on a sharp diagonal before packing.
Slicing the rolls on a bias exposes the maximum amount of the vibrant green center, providing the essential color contrast required for a proper Japanese lunchbox presentation.
From Cook Japanese in America.