Thit Kho Trung — Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Belly with Eggs

⏱ 110 min · Serves 6

The Tet classic every Vietnamese family cooks in a big pot: pork belly braised low and slow in bittersweet palm sugar caramel, coconut water and fish sauce until it wobbles, with soy-stained jammy eggs soaking up all that glossy sauce. Serve with steamed rice and something sharp and pickled.

Per serving: 648 kcal · 33.0g protein · 14.0g carbs · 52.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork belly, skin on, cut into 4cm chunks
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (for marinade)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 60 g palm sugar (or dark brown sugar)
• 2 tbsp water
• 500 ml fresh coconut water (unsweetened)
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 spring onions, sliced, to serve
• 1 red chilli, sliced, to serve
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
• Pickled mustard greens or cucumber, to serve

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the pork belly chunks and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and pat very dry — this keeps the braise clean-tasting.
2. Toss the pork with 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tsp sugar, garlic, shallots and black pepper. Leave to marinate 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 8 minutes, cool in cold water, then peel and set aside.
4. Make the caramel: put the palm sugar and 2 tbsp water in a heavy casserole over medium heat. Swirl (don't stir) until it turns the colour of dark amber tea, 4–6 minutes. Watch closely — burnt caramel turns bitter.
5. Add the oil and the pork with all its marinade. Stir to coat in the caramel and let it sizzle and colour for 5 minutes.
6. Pour in the coconut water and 4 tbsp fish sauce, plus enough water to just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, skim any scum, then drop to the barest simmer.
7. Cover loosely and braise 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is meltingly tender and the skin is translucent.
8. Add the peeled eggs, nudging them under the sauce. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes more, so the sauce reduces to a glossy, slightly syrupy coat and the eggs turn burnished brown. Turn the eggs once for even colour.
9. Taste — add a splash more fish sauce for salt or a pinch of sugar for balance. Rest 10 minutes off the heat.
10. Serve in bowls over jasmine rice, scattered with spring onion and chilli, with pickles alongside. Even better the next day.