RAWBAR BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• For the pork belly: Mix together salt and sugar in a small bowl. Rub all sides of pork belly with mixture and place on a rack set in a pan, then cover and refrigerate, 8 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove pork belly from rack and pat dry. Place back in pan without the rack. Bring cola, ginger and 3 quarts water to a simmer in a saucepan, then pour over pork belly. Cover pan with foil and braise in the oven until tender, 1 to 2 hours. Remove from broth, then let cool and refrigerate until completely cold.
• Slice into 4-by-1/8-inch-thick slices.
• For the bibimbap: Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Bring oil to 350 degrees F in a deep-fryer. Fry Rice Cakes, 3 minutes. Drain and hold.
• Place 8 slices pork belly in a pan (save remainder for another use) and bake until hot and browning on the edges, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir-fry carrots, onions and bok choy in oil in a saute pan until tender and caramelized. Deglaze pan with Kim Chi Sauce and remove from heat.
• Fry eggs in a nonstick pan until sunny-side up is reached.
• Assemble in each of 4 warm bowls: Daikon radish, Rice Cake, drizzle of Ginger-Scallion Sauce, stir-fry vegetable mix, pork belly, fried egg and radish sprouts on top.
• For the lemongrass simple syrup: Bring sugar, lemongrass and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small pot, then turn off the heat and let cool.
• For the rice cakes: Combine the vinegar, sugar, dashi and 1/4 cup salt in a large bowl and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Wipe kombu with a wet paper towel, then add it to the seasoning. (Remove kombu before using.) Season the sushi rice with 3/4 cup of this "sushi zu" (save the remainder for another use).
• Combine the sushi rice, 3/4 cup simple syrup (save the remainder for another use), scallions, garlic, pepper, 2 cups panko and remaining teaspoon salt in a bowl. Mix well, then shape into 8 cakes using a 3-inch oiled ring mold. Press firmly into remaining panko to crust both sides. Individually wrap each cake in plastic.
• Combine fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, Thai chiles and habaneros in a bowl and whisk to dissolve sugar.
• Combine scallions, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, sugar and seasoning sauce in a bowl and whisk to dissolve sugar.