Pan-Seared Agu Pork Belly with Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato Mash

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Rich, pan-seared Agu pork belly paired with creamy Okinawan purple sweet potato mash for a dish that highlights Okinawa's prized pork and signature sweet potato. This Japanese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs Agu pork belly slices, Okinawan purple sweet potatoes, unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 30 min Serves 4 Japanese cuisine 480 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Place 3 medium peeled Okinawan purple sweet potatoes chopped into chunks into a pot of salted water (1 tsp salt). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
  2. Step 2: While potatoes cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season 400g Agu pork belly slices with 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add pork belly slices to the dry skillet and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and slightly crispy.
  3. Step 3: Reduce heat to medium-low, add 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp mirin to the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes, spooning sauce over pork to glaze.
  4. Step 4: Drain the sweet potatoes and return to the pot. Add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1/4 cup whole milk, mashing until smooth and creamy. Season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
  5. Step 5: Plate the pork belly slices atop a generous scoop of the purple sweet potato mash and spoon any remaining pan glaze over the pork. Serve immediately.

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