Vietnamese Caramelized Pork (Thịt Kho)

Tender pork belly braised in a sweet-savory caramel sauce with coconut water and fish sauce. A classic Vietnamese comfort dish served over rice.

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Ingredients

1
Cut pork belly into 2-inch cubes, keeping the skin intact on some pieces for texture. Pat dry with paper towels to help browning.
2
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear pork cubes 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden brown, then set aside.
3
In the same pot, add minced garlic and sliced shallot to the residual oil; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle sugar directly into the pot and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until caramelized and amber-colored.
4
Return seared pork to the pot and stir to coat with caramel. Pour in coconut water and water, then add fish sauce and black pepper; stir gently to combine.
5
Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low and cover with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar. Simmer gently for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is fork-tender.
6
If using hard-boiled eggs, halve them and nestle into the braised pork during the last 10 minutes of cooking to warm through. The sauce should reduce and thicken slightly, coating the meat richly.
7
Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce or a pinch of salt and pepper. The sauce should be glossy, caramel-brown, and coat a spoon; if too thin, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes more.
8
Serve over steamed jasmine rice, spooning the caramel sauce generously over each portion. Garnish with fresh cilantro or scallion greens if desired.

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