Japanese Napa Cabbage and Pork Belly Hot Pot (Mille-Feuille Nabe)
What is Mille-Feuille Nabe?
Mille-feuille nabe is a Japanese hot pot named after the French pastry for its many thin layers. Napa cabbage leaves and thinly sliced pork belly are stacked, cut and packed upright into a donabe (clay pot), then simmered in a light dashi and soy sauce broth. The pork melts into the cabbage as it cooks, so every bite is savory and juicy.
It's dinner in less than 30 minutes and has become a household favorite. Most of the stock ingredients are pantry staples, so you just need to pick up the cabbage, pork and mushrooms. We serve it with rice and a soy sauce and pepper dipping sauce.
Watch How to Make It
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Japanese Napa Cabbage and Pork Belly Hot Pot (Mille-Feuille Nabe)
Layers of napa cabbage and thinly sliced pork belly simmered in a simple dashi and soy sauce broth with baby oyster mushrooms. Dinner in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoon dashi stock powder
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
Hot pot
- 5 napa cabbage leaves
- 1 lb pork belly thinly sliced
- 7 oz baby oyster mushrooms
To serve
- steamed rice
- soy sauce and black pepper dipping sauce or dipping sauce of choice
Instructions
- Make the stock: In a pot, combine the water, dashi powder and soy sauce and heat until boiling.
- Layer the cabbage and pork: Stack the napa cabbage leaves with pork belly slices in between, then cut the stack into 2.5-inch pieces.
- Assemble the nabe: Stand the stacks upright around the donabe (clay pot), packing them in tightly. Leave room in the middle for the baby oyster mushrooms.
- Cook: Once the stock is boiling, pour it into the donabe and set the donabe on the stove. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and the cabbage is tender.
- Serve: Serve with rice and a soy sauce and pepper dipping sauce, or your dipping sauce of choice.
Notes
No donabe? Any wide, shallow pot or Dutch oven works.
