| Recipe: Mrs. Hue’s Caramelized Pork in Clay Pot (Thit Kho To) |
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The classic version (and the only one in my eyes) of Thit Kho To uses cubed pork belly but for a healthier version you may substitute with leaner pork shoulder. It is a rich and deeply savory dish (especially with the pork belly), in spite of the caramel sauce used to stew the pork. The coconut pieces are also now seen only rarely in preparations of this dish, but adding them lends a subtle complexity and the crisp coconut adds a great texture contrast. Traditionally this dish is prepared in a clay pot over a charcoal fire, but these days it is usually prepared stove top and served in a clay pot for presentation. Ingredients
Preparation Marinate pork with fish sauce, ginger, scallions, chilis and pepper. Leave for at least one hour. Caramel syrup: heat the sugar in a pan over high heat; stir until it melts and then turns golden brown. Immediately pour water to the syrup. Add pork (and coconut if using). Reduce heat to a very low simmer, turning meat occasionally until the sauce is reduced and thickened and the meat is cooked through. This will take a lot longer for the pork belly than for sliced pork and will also depend on how large the meat is cubed (it could be 45 minutes to one hour for pork belly). You’ll know it’s done with the pork becomes a dark reddish caramelized color and the fat is somewhat transparent. If the pan starts drying before the meat is done, add another ¼ cup of water; if you are using cubed pork belly and your stove runs fairly hot/high, you may have to do this more than once.
You may garnish this with chopped spring onions before serving. Serve with rice. |
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Mrs. Hue was our housekeeper in Hanoi. She didn't like to cook so didn't do it very often, but I think she was amused by how much I loved fatty pork and amazed at the quantity I could consume, so she would indulge me from time to time with her wonderful carmelized pork.
