August : Thịt kho (Caramelized Pork Belly)

Friends!! I did it! I cooked something Vietnamese NOT last minute at the end of the month. Success! I actually called my mom for her Thịt kho recipe because we ate this at least once or twice a month when my brother and I were kiddies. Apparently this dish is normally cooked during the Lunar New Year...? I did not know this since my mom cooked this really often. So far what I'm learning when I cook some of these Vietnamese dishes is that they aren't as difficult as I thought they would be. 

Anyway, this is one of Mitchell's favorite dishes that my mom cooks so I'm glad he was able to have something that tastes like home. He says.. "tastes just like how your mom makes it" so I would say that's a win!

Pork Belly Prep:

- Cut Pork Belly into cubes (1 inch cubes)

Marinade:

- Minced garlic

- White onion

- ½ Cup Soy Sauce

- ½ Cup Water

- Pinch of Salt

- Pepper – to your taste

- 2 Tablespoons of Sugar

Marinate pork belly for 30+ minutes.

Instructions:

Pour 2 tablespoons of water and a tablespoon of sugar on high heat until it sizzles. After at least 30 minutes of the pork belly being marinated, place the pork and marinade in a pot on medium to high heat (covered). After 10-15 minutes, skim the gross foamy stuff and add a cup of coconut water (if you don’t have this – you can add a cup of water with 2 table spoons of sugar) and bring down to a low to medium heat with cover off for 15 minutes. Add a tablespoon of fish sauce and keep on low heat covered for at least 2 hours in order to break down the fat. You can throw in your already boiled and peeled eggs towards the end.  I would recommend tasting the sauce and add more water if it turns out too sweet or add more sugar if it’s too bland.

Cheers!