Pork
Caramelised Pork

Caramelised Pork

This dish has the influence from French cuisine in the way we adding caramel sauce into the pork. It can be very easy to cook anywhere, ingredient is simple but also one of the most authentic pork dishes you can find in Vietnam. The caramel taste, fried shallot and black pepper will make the taste of this dish to be unique.









Ingredients (Serves 4)

  • 1 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 1 teasp Salt
  • 3 teasp brown sugar
  • 3 Shallot, finely chopped
  • 450g/1lb Leg of Pork Meat, cut into 5cm/2-inch cubes
  • 1 teasp Black Pepper
  • 960ml/32fl.oz. Water
  • 1 tbsp Fish Sauce (Nuoc Mam)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the chopped shallot, salt, pork and black pepper and fry, stirring over a medium heat until the meat is brown on all sides.
2. Heat the pan then put brown sugar in the pan until it melting and turn to be caramel, then add the water in to make the caramel sauce.
3. Add  the caramel sauce and simmer, uncovered for one hour.
4. Add the fish sauce and continue to simmer for a further hour, checking it from time to time and stirring, by which time most of the water will have been absorbed. Serve hot.
 
Sweet and Sour Pork Spareribs (Suon Xao Chua Ngot)

Sweet and Sour Pork Rib

This dish is always considered to be the delicacy dish for any meal of Vietnamese people. It also can be the perfect illustration for the balance of Yin and Yang in cooking philosophy of Vietnamese people and can be served either in the winter or summer time. The ribs need to be soft enough and perfectly matching of sweet and sour taste and the spices of garlic, shallot and green onion.





Ingredients:

  • 2 kg pork spare ribs bone in, cut into 3 cm pieces
  • 1 medium shallot, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ts fish sauce
  • 2 ts sugar
  • 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced into small cubes
  • cornstarch mix: 1 ts cornstarch 2 tbs water, stir into a slurry
  • 1 ts white vinegar
  • 1 ts sugar
  • green onions, chopped
  • thai chili, chopped (optional)
  • cooking oil
  • water

Directions:

  • Briefly marinade the spareribs with fish sauce, sugar, and garlic–a few minutes will do. In a large saute pan or wok on medium high, heat about 2 tbs of cooking oil and add the shallots. When fragrant, add the spare ribs and sear until edges are golden brown. Then add enough water to just cover the spareribs and cover lid and reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for about 25-30 minutes.  This will tenderize the ribs–the longer you simmer, the more tender. We like a bit of chewiness so we can gnaw it off the bone.
  • The water should now be slightly reduced. Add the diced tomatoes and continue to simmer until tomatoes breakdown and thicken. Now add the cornstarch slurry and mix well to thicken the sauce even more. Finally, season the sauce with a pinch of salt or fish sauce and by adding equal parts 1 ts vinegar and sugar, add more if necessary, adjusting to taste–should be, well sweet and sour. Add chop green onions and optional thai chili. Remove and serve with jasmine rice.
  • This Vietnamese pork spare ribs dish combines the sour, sweet, spicy and savory flavors we love. We enjoyed this with home made pickled mustard greens along with the pickled mustard green and dill soup–both recipes we’ll post later. A truly finger licking and satisfying Vietnamese meal!
 
Pork Stew With Hard-Boiled Eggs

Pork and eggs

This dish is very popular for pork dish from the North to the South of Vietnam. It can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for up to one week, because the flavor improves with age. For a change of pace, you might substitute chicken for the pork. Serve this hearty stew with rice and with pickles or any sour-flavored dish to offset the sweetness of the stew.






Ingredients : Serves 6 - 8

  • 1 kg (2 lb): Boneless port butt or shoulder, fat removed
  • 4 cloves: Garlic, peeled
  • 4: Shallots, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon: Whole black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons: Oil
  • 375 ml: Cold water (1 1/2 cups)
  • 6: Hard-boiled eggs, peeled
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons: Brown or rock sugar
  • 3 tablespoons: Fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons: Soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon: Salt
  • 1 teaspoon: Five-spice powder

Directions:

  • Cut the meat into 2 1/2 cm (1-in) cubes and set aside.
  • Pound the garlic, shallots and peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or process with a food processor until fine.
  • Using a heavy stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic mixture until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the pork and cook, stirring, until the meat browns on all sides.
  • Add the water, eggs, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, salt and five-spice powder and bring to the boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the pork is tender.
  • Remove from the heat and serve.