Sublime

• 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, split


• 2 shallots, split


• 1 garlic bulb, split


• 11⁄2 cups sake


• 1⁄3 cup maple syrup


• 1⁄3 cup soy sauce


• 1 cup chicken stock


• 1 4x6inch piece of kombu


• 2 lbs skinless pork belly


• 1 Tbsp cornstarch


• 2 tsp water


• 2 tsp rice vinegar


• Sliced scallions, for serving


• Maple furikake, for ser

absurdly smoky motsuyaki restaurants,

The overweight in Japan are subjected to immense social pressure to change, including taunts of metabo—short for metabolic syndrome—and unwanted belly-patting from strangers.