Today, let’s make Steamed pork shoulder with cabbage for weight loss.
I lost 20kg, and I used to eat this kind of steamed cabbage dish a lot back then. Many Koreans have eaten this Korean hot pot and lost fat too. Let’s make this healthy and delicious dish together!

What is Steamed Pork with Cabbage?

It’s a Korean-style dish where cabbage and pork are steamed together in a pan – similar to a Korean hot pot. It’s not an official Korean hot pot, but it’s hard to describe in English any other way. Today’s recipe was inspired by Korean singer Sung Si-kyung’s version, but I’ve modified it slightly to make it diet friendly for weight loss.

When I lost 20 kg, I ate a lot of cabbage-based dishes. One of the dishes I ate the most was steamed cabbage. Sometimes I just steamed cabbage and dipped it in ssamjang (Korean dipping sauce), and sometimes I steamed it with smoked duck, which is a great weight loss food.

But here in Belgium, where I live now, smoked duck is either hard to find or way too expensive. So I used pork shoulder instead, which is much cheaper and easier to get. It’s really delicious, healthy and super easy – so don’t miss today’s recipe!

– 20kg Weight Loss Food Recipe

I once lost 20kg by following a low-carb diet. I minimized rice and noodles and focused on eating more meat, fish, and vegetables.

-20kg Weight Loss Steamed Cabbage with Pork Belly, Korean Hot Pot

Today I'm going to introduce you to a Steamed Napa Cabbage with Pork Belly, Korean hot pot style for weight loss. This dish I used to eat a lot when I was losing 20 kg. It's a low-carb, veggie-packed, high-protein Korean diet food that's both healthy and delicious.

Check out this recipe

This recipe is a steamed pork and Napa cabbage dish, and it’s one of the meals I ate often during my weight loss journey. It’s also great for anyone looking for a low-sodium, healthy meal.

Today’s version uses pork shoulder, which is leaner than pork belly. Even if you live in a place where Napa cabbage is hard to find, this recipe is easy to make with more accessible varieties of cabbage.
Try it, lose weight and build a healthier body together!

Why is It Good for Weight Loss?

Low-carb, high-protein: Pork shoulder is a lean cut with a high protein ratio. Since this dish is centered around protein and vegetables with almost no carbs, it’s effective for weight loss.
Keeps you full: Cabbage is rich in dietary fiber, which helps you feel full for longer. It’s also low in calories, making it a great diet food. Plus, it soothes the stomach and prevents constipation—something many people struggle with during dieting—thanks to its fiber content.

Sustainable dieting: Imagine trying to lose weight by eating only chicken breast and boiled eggs you don’t even like. Can that diet last? Absolutely not. Sustainable diet food must taste good—just like today’s recipe.

Ingredients for Steamed Pork with Cabbage

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this healthy and flavorful Korean-style steamed pork dish.

Main Ingredients

Meat: pork shoulder

Vegetables: cabbage, onion, green onion, minced garlic, enoki mushrooms
Seasonings: Korean soju, soy sauce, salt and pepper

Ingredient Substitutions

Soju: Today I used soju to remove the pork’s gamey smell, but you can also use white wine if that’s what you have at home. Cooking wine works too.

Pork shoulder: You can use other cuts like pork belly instead of shoulder. Just avoid cuts that are too lean, like pork loin, as they can turn out dry and tough in this dish. If you don’t eat pork, you can make a halal version using chicken or beef.

Plum extract (maesil): Plum extract helps remove the smell from the meat and adds a unique flavor and slight tanginess, so it’s hard to substitute. If you just need a bit of sweetness, you can add a small amount of sugar instead.
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Cooking Tips

Juicy Meat

To make the meat juicy, lightly sear the outside first, then steam it. This helps lock in the juices. Steaming after searing makes the meat much juicier than just steaming it from the start.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce in this recipe is used more for aroma than seasoning. For the best flavor, pour it directly into the pan and let it slightly caramelize before mixing it with the cabbage.

Soju

For Koreans, soju is the go-to for removing the smell from pork. It works similarly to white wine in Western cooking, so feel free to substitute with white wine. With alcohol vs. without, the flavor difference is huge.

Low Heat

After stir-frying the ingredients and covering the pan to steam, make sure to keep the heat low. Otherwise, the bottom may burn.

Don’t open the lid

While steaming, do not open the lid. Keep it closed so the steam can fully cook everything inside.

What If It Starts to Burn While Steaming?

If the heat is too high or the water evaporates too quickly, the bottom of the pan can burn.
But don’t worry—just add about 50ml of water and continue steaming. That should fix it!

Dipping Sauce

Since today’s recipe is low in sodium, some people (like me!) who aren’t used to mild flavors might want a dipping sauce. This sweet and tangy soy sauce dip adds extra umami when paired with the meat and cabbage. It also tastes amazing with Korean hot pot dishes like shabu-shabu.

Too lazy to make a sauce? Just dip it in ssamjang (Korean seasoned soybean paste)—it’s delicious.
No ssamjang? Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) works great too, especially for those who like a bit of heat!

Gochujang: https://amzn.to/3XstNFi (US), https://amzn.to/4hSoh65 (DE), https://amzn.to/4l4b2BU (NL, BE), https://amzn.to/4curibS (UK)
Ssamjang: Ssamjang: https://amzn.to/4koIX8c (US), https://amzn.to/3Z31FsU (UK), https://amzn.to/43EJdKz (DE), https://amzn.to/3Dkfn2Z (NL)

K-Dessert, Fried Rice

Got leftover the steamed pork and cabbage? Then it’s time for a K-dessert: fried rice.

Just add one bowl of rice to the leftover pork and cabbage, stir-fry it with 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and boom—simple Korean fried rice is ready. But remember, this one’s not a weight loss food. It’s a treat—just like dessert. So enjoy it!

Get Ingredients

Wok: For steaming in a pan or for Korean hot pot, you’ll need a wide and deep wok.
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Soy Sauce: https://amzn.to/4gYk1BJ (US), https://amzn.to/4gW8zGv (DE), https://amzn.to/3Ef2bgl (UK), https://amzn.to/43OACVz (NL, BE)
Plum Syrup: https://amzn.to/3XTBVhZ (US), https://amzn.to/4hhzTPJ (NL)
Mirin or Matsul (cooking wine): https://amzn.to/3CV5tF1 (US), https://amzn.to/4hSBvAH (NL, BE), https://amzn.to/4jLJ0Kn (UK)
Sesame Seeds: https://amzn.to/3D85aXg (US), https://amzn.to/3EQVBwt (DE), https://amzn.to/3D7C6iD (NL)
Rice: https://amzn.to/4bdcfCH (US), https://amzn.to/41xxThP (NL, BE), https://amzn.to/4kgVgmQ (DE), https://amzn.to/4ibBneK (UK)

Disclosure: Blonde Kimchi is part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that allows websites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and promoting products.