Caramel Pork (Thịt Kho)

Ingredients · for 6 (scales to your household)

• 2.5 lb Pork belly, cut into bite-sized pieces $18.71
• 0.33 cup Fish sauce $0.52
• 0.5 tsp Salt $0.03
• 3 tbsp Granulated sugar (marinade + caramel) $0.05
• 1 tsp Ground black pepper $0.14
• 2 tsp Chicken or mushroom bouillon (optional) not counted
• 4 clove Garlic, finely diced $0.12
• 1 large Shallot, finely diced $0.26
• 0.5 tsp Thick soy sauce (or caramel sauce) $0.03
• 3 cup Water $0.00
• 12 oz Coconut soda / coconut juice $2.13
• 10 whole Eggs, hard-boiled $4.03
• 1 whole Red chilies, sliced (optional garnish) $0.25
• 3 cup Cooked rice, for serving $0.90

Per-ingredient cost is the amount this recipe uses at the lowest Canadian price we have on file; the per-serving total above adds the range up to the dearest price and for buying whole packages. A line marked not counted is one we couldn't measure from the amount as written — it is missing from the total, not free.

Method

1. Cut pork belly into 1.5 x 1 inch pieces; blanch in boiling water ~9 minutes, then rinse clean.
2. Marinate the pork with fish sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, bouillon, garlic, shallot, and thick soy sauce at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
3. Hard-boil the eggs ~10 minutes, cool in ice water, and peel.
4. Pan-fry the marinated pork ~1 minute to release aromatics, then add the water and coconut soda; simmer uncovered ~40 minutes.
5. Add the peeled eggs and simmer uncovered another ~30 minutes, submerging the eggs.
6. Garnish with sliced red chilies and serve with steamed rice.