Mom’s Sweet and Savory Nagaimo with Pork Belly

When visiting us last summer, my mom cooked this one superb dish that is not only delicious, but also quite healthy. That was her first time cooking it too. She just happened to find Nagaimo in the market and wonder how the taste would be like. Yes, in other words, we never ever consumed it until last year. To our surprise, the taste is very similar to potato.

With more research, I found out that Nagaimo is a nutrient-rich vegetable with a lot of health benefits – may help lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, and help with indigestion and fatigue. It is low calorie, but contains high protein. Its texture is moist and crunchy. Ever since that summer, this dish soon became a regular guest on our dining table. Who wouldn’t?!

Thank goodness, I helped my mom that summer so I know what kinds of ingredients go into this fabulous dish. After she left, whenever I saw Nagaimo in the market, I would re-create it and, finally, get to measure the ingredients and, voila, the recipe is below. Please give it a try and let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Tip: Some people may experience itching when preparing Nagaimo due to allergic reaction. So, you can soak Nagaimo in diluted vinegar water and wet your hand with it before cooking to prevent itching.

Ingredient:

• 1 whole medium-sized Nagaimo
• 1 lb pork belly, cut into bite-shaped
• Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• 2 inch ginger, finely julienned
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 stalk green onion to garnish

Direction:

• Clean and cut Nagaimo into stick-shaped, like French fries
• Preheat oil in a pan or deep fryer to 325-350 degree Fahrenheit. Once heated, deep-fry the stick-shaped Nagaimo about 3-5 minutes. Drain the excess oil.
• In a separate wok or pan, put the pork belly. You don’t need to add any oil. The fat in the pork belly should come out and be the ‘oil’. However, if you use the thin sliced pork belly with not much fat, you can add 1 tbsp of olive oil
• When the pork belly is almost cooked, add garlic and ginger
• Once it is fragrant, add the fried Nagaimo
• Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and pepper
• Stir well and cook for about 1-2 minutes
• Plate and serve it with chopped green onion on top.