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Glazed teriyaki pork bites glistening with sesame seeds beside a stacked mound of white and forbidden black rice, on a white plate

Teriyaki Pork Bites with Forbidden Rice

Prep 20 min Cook 25 min Total 45 min Servings 4

By Lukasz Jagiello

Published Sep 19, 2026 · Updated Oct 28, 2026

Recipe
About this recipe

Browned cubes of pork loin get tossed in a sticky, glossy teriyaki glaze of soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. They're served with stacked black rice and jasmine rice. Patting the pork dry helps it brown evenly. Thickening the sauce before adding the pork back makes it cling to every piece. Ready in about 45 minutes, and both rices can be cooked two days ahead.

Tip: Pat the pork dry before it goes in the pan so it browns and takes the glaze. Wet cubes would steam and stay gray. The sauce is thickened before the pork goes back in, so it clings to the meat instead of pooling in the pan. Once the glaze is in, keep the heat at medium so the sugar doesn't burn.

Techniques in this recipe

Ingredients

  • For the rice
  • For the pork
  • For the teriyaki glaze
  • To finish

Method

  1. 01

    Combine the forbidden rice with 240 ml (1 cup) water and 1/4 tsp salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low until tender and the water is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. Keep covered off heat.

  2. 02

    In another small pot, cook the white rice the same way with 240 ml (1 cup) water and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook until fluffy, 15 to 18 minutes. Keep covered. For the stacked look, pack black rice into a ring mold or small cup first. Top with white rice and turn it out onto the plate.

  3. 03

    Put the soy sauce, mirin, sake and brown sugar in a bowl or measuring cup. Add the garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.

  4. 04

    Pat the pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork in a single layer until browned on most sides and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not crowd the pan — work in two batches if needed. Transfer to a plate.

  5. 05

    Pour the sauce into the same skillet and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce turns glossy and coats a spoon, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the pork and toss until every piece is thickly glazed and sticky, about 1 minute more.

  6. 06

    Spoon or unmold the layered rice onto plates. Pile the teriyaki pork bites alongside or on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions if using. Serve immediately while the glaze is still shiny.

Notes & swaps

  • Pat the pork dry. Wet cubes steam and stay gray; dry cubes brown and take the glaze.
  • Do not crowd the pan. Crowding drops the heat and you get steamed pork, not seared bites.
  • Thicken before tossing. If the sauce is watery when the meat goes back in, it will never cling.
  • Watch the sugar. Once the glaze is in the pan, stay on medium — high heat scorches the soy-sugar mix.
  • Make ahead: cook both rices up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat with a splash of water. Glaze the pork fresh for the best shine.
  • Storage: leftovers keep 3 days refrigerated. Reheat pork gently in a skillet with a spoon of water to loosen the glaze. Microwave softens the lacquer.
  • Pork loin: use boneless chicken thigh in the same weight; cook until opaque and glazed.
  • Forbidden rice: use all jasmine rice, or brown rice cooked until tender.
  • Mirin: use 3 tbsp water plus 1 tsp extra brown sugar.
  • Sake: use water or dry sherry in the same amount.
  • Cornstarch: skip it and reduce the sauce 2 to 3 minutes longer until syrupy; watch so it does not burn.
  • No ring mold: serve rice in a simple scoop beside the pork — same flavors, less plating.

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