Meltingly tender Vietnamese caramel pork with hard-boiled eggs, simmered in a sweet and savory coconut water sauce. A glossy, deep, and comforting family dish, perfect over jasmine rice with a tangy counterpart.
Ingredients
- 550 g cubed pork belly
- 4 pieces hard-boiled eggs
- 700 ml coconut water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 5 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 pieces shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- to taste ground black pepper
- 320 g jasmine rice
- 480 ml water for the rice
- 120 g Vietnamese vegetable pickles
Method
- Place the pork cubes in a pot of cold water, bring to a simmer, and skim until the water turns cloudy; drain and rinse the meat for a cleaner sauce.
- Mince the shallots and garlic, then sauté them in the oil in a Dutch oven until glossy and fragrant without browning.
- Add the sugar to the pot and let it melt until it forms an amber, fluid, and slightly smoking caramel; stir as soon as the edges begin to color.
- Add the blanched pork and toss to coat thoroughly in the caramel, until the pieces become shiny and start to catch on the bottom.
- Pour in the fish sauce, season with pepper, then stir until the aroma is pungent but no longer harsh and the sauce base glazes the meat.
- Pour in the coconut water, bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered until the pork softens and the sauce turns a golden-brown hue.
- Add the peeled hard-boiled eggs and continue cooking at a low simmer, turning them occasionally, until they are deeply stained by the sauce.
- Near the end of the simmer, rinse the jasmine rice, then cook it with its water until the grains are tender, separate, and fragrant.
- Taste the sauce: it should be salty, sweet, and slightly sticky; let it reduce further if it seems too pale or runny.
- Serve the pork, eggs, and plenty of sauce over the hot rice, with the pickles on the side for crunch and acidity.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 715 kcal
- Protein
- 38.96 g
- Carbohydrate
- 74.38 g
- Fat
- 27.96 g
- Fibre
- 2.15 g
- Calcium
- 41.18 mg
- Iron
- 0.94 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
