Indonesian Kecap Manis – Braised Pork
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When I was cooking this Indonesian Kecap Manis – Braised Pork (also called Babi Kecap) from the new cookbook Mortar and Pestle by Pat Tanumihardja and Juliana Evari Suparman, I noticed that Indonesian cooking has many similarities to Filipino food in flavors, ingredients, and process. This easy pork belly dish is a good example. Plus it was an easy one-pot dish to whip up for a weeknight or a family weekend meal.
If you’re looking for something new to cook in the coming year, but still want to serve the familiar Asian savory-sweet flavors to your family, look no further. With thanks to the newest cookbook of Pat Tanumihardja, this 200+ page hardbound book of 80 recipes has helped me a lot in the kitchen the past few busy weeks that led to the holidays. There were new dishes I could make, yet the multi-layered flavors of Filipino and Asian home cooking – savory, sweet, tangy, salty, spicy, and more were all there, because most of the ingredients needed were already in my pantry or refrigerator. Best of all, Pat’s recipes are doable and easy, whether you’re a novice or a pro in the kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
The dominant flavoring of this pork belly dish is its sweet flavor, which many Filipino entrees have as well. I was reminded of the pork humba I often make for our family weekend meals or during parties. The latter has a sweet soy sauce base. This is the same for this Braised Pork. The sweet- savory flavor of the sauce coating the tender pork cubes pair well with the simplicity of steamed rice served on the side.
What Ingredients Are Needed
Kecap Manis – is basically the Indonesian sweet soy sauce: You’ll need about 2 tablespoons each of toyo (soy sauce) like the Filipino brand Silver Swan, brown sugar, and water for the mixture. I also like to use the Chinese brand soy sauce like Coconut Brand.
Pork Belly- a pound and a half or up to 2 pounds, with enough fat for marbling to give the dish that tasty flavor.
Potatoes – used for stews like red potatoes or the yellow gold variety.
Ginger – I used slices of fresh ginger, a tablespoonful; Substitute with a teaspoon of bottled minced ginger if you don’t have the fresh ones.
White or Yellow Onions – medium sized
Garlic – about 4 cloves
Sugar, salt and black pepper – for flavoring
Hard-boiled eggs – about 3 to 4, optional, but is an all-time favorite of the family
Green onions or scallions – 1 to 2 stalks, chopped for garnish.
The Process
This is a one-pot meal that cooks all the ingredients in the same deep saucepan or stockpot. You basically start with marinating the pork in the Kecap Manis sauce for half an hour.
Then, sauté the aromatics : onions, garlic, ginger. The pork is added and simmered till tender. Then the sliced potatoes are added to cook with the rest of the savory-sweet mixture.
Finish off the dish with the addition of hardboiled egg slices, and the chopped green scallions.
How To Serve
Though it is easy to cook this Braised Pork, the savory-sweet flavors combined with the onions, garlic, ginger can be quite potent, yet delicious. Serve this with steamed white rice, a staple in most Filipino homes. The simplicity and bland flavor of the rice complements the powerful aromas and tastes of the pork.
A side dish of steamed vegetable greens like spinach, or a crisp vegetable salad served together with the pork can make for a delightful meal.
Indonesian Kecap Manis – Braised Pork Belly
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Medium-sized mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Kecap Manis (Sweet soy sauce)
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce (like Filipino Silver Swan or the Chinese Coconut Brand)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
For the Braised Pork
- 2 pounds pork belly or pork shoulder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 whole medium-sized white or yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 slices fresh ginger, peeled, about 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, like Maldon's
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 to 3 pieces yellow gold potatoes (or those for stews like red potatoes), peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 to 3 whole hard-boiled eggs, peeled, sliced in halves
For garnish
- 2 stalks scallion greens, chopped
For serving
- steamed rice
Instructions
To make the Kecap Manis (Sweet soy sauce)
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the water, soy sauce and sugar. Mix till sugar is dissolved.Microwave on medium for about 25 to 30 seconds. Stir to make sure sugar is dissolved. Set aside as a marinade for the pork.*Note: The author suggested to scale up the ingredients for a bigger quantity. This can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 month.
To make the Braised Pork:
- In a mixing bowl, marinate the pork with the 1/4 of the kecap manis and black pepper for 1 hour. Set aside.Reserve the other 1/4 of the kecap manis for the cooking process.
- In a large saucepan or stockpot, over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot enough, in about 1 to 2 minutes, add the onions, garlic and ginger. Saute until fragrant and the onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.Add the pork cubes. Stir and cook till pork is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.Add the salt, sugar, water and remaining 1/4 cup kecap manis. The liquid should cover the top of the pork pieces. Add more water if needed.Cover the saucepan. Bring to a boil. Then lower heat to simmer.
- Continue simmering the pork, covered, over medium heat for about 30 minutes or till tender.When the pork is cooked, add the potatoes. Distribute evenly. Cover and cook till the potatoes are soft, about 12 to 15 minutes more.Add the halved hard-boiled eggs. Garnish with scallion greens.Serve warm with rice.
Storage:
- Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.To freeze, keep in a freezer-friendly plastic container. This can keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Remove the egg slices and store them separately in the refrigerator.
Cook's Comments
- Disclosure: This is not an ad for the cookbook. The book was a gift by the authors. But I highly recommend this Indonesian cookbook for fans of Asian and Filipino cooking. It has many similarities in flavors and cooking process to Philippine cuisine and one will be able to adapt easily to the new recipes.The Mortar and Pestle Cookbook: Classic Indonesian Recipes for the Modern Kitchen (Weldon Owen 2024) by Pat Tanumihardja and Juliana Evari Suparman is available where most books are sold.
Nutrition
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