Spicy Pork Belly with Bean Sprout Rice Bowl Recipe

Cooking at home doesn’t have to be complicated. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a hearty and flavorful rice bowl that feels like comfort food. Today’s recipe is Spicy Pork Belly with Bean Sprouts, a quick stir-fry dish topped over warm rice. The tender pork belly, crunchy bean sprouts, and a touch of chili pepper create the perfect balance of savory, spicy, and fresh flavors.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Main Ingredients

• 200g thinly sliced pork belly
• ½ stalk of green onion
• 100g bean sprouts 
• 1 Cheongyang chili (or other spicy green chili) 
• 2 bowls of cooked rice 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil 
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Marinade

• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake) 
• 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste) 
• 1 tsp minced garlic 
• ½ tsp ground ginger 
• 1 tsp oligosaccharide syrup (or honey)
• 1 tsp sesame oil 
• 1 tsp ground sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Marinate the pork

Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well with the pork belly. 

Let the pork marinate for 10 minutes.

2. Prepare the vegetables

Slice the green onion into thin strips. Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and slice thinly.

Rinse the bean sprouts and drain well. 

3. Cook the pork

Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a pan over low heat. Add the green onion and sauté for 2 minutes to release its aroma.

Turn the heat to medium, add the marinated pork belly, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.

4. Add vegetables

Toss in the bean sprouts and chili pepper. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes until the sprouts are just cooked but still crisp. 

5. Assemble the rice bowl

Place a bowl of hot rice, top with the pork and bean sprout stir-fry, drizzle with sesame oil, and sprinkle sesame seeds before serving. 

Tips

• Don’t overcook the bean sprouts—keeping them slightly crunchy makes the dish more refreshing. 
• If you like extra heat, add more chili or a spoon of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes).