Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls (Thit Kho Tau)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Pork belly
• 4 cups Coconut water
• 1/2 cup Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 tbsp Brown sugar
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 medium Shallots
• 1 tsp Black peppercorns
• 4 eggs Hard-boiled eggs (optional)
• 4 cups Cooked rice
• 1 cup Pickled vegetables (do chua)

Instructions

1. 1Cut the 2 lbs of pork belly into 1-inch cubes.
2. 2Peel and mince the 4 cloves of garlic and the 2 medium shallots.
3. 3In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine the 4 cups of coconut water, 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of fish sauce, 2 tbsp of brown sugar, the minced garlic, the minced shallots, and the 1 tsp of black peppercorns.
4. 4Add the 1-inch cubes of pork belly to the pot. Turn the heat to high and bring the liquid to a rolling boil, about 5-10 minutes. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 2 hours. The pork is done when it is very tender and easily pierced with a fork. The liquid will have reduced and thickened slightly.
5. 5If you are using the 4 optional hard-boiled eggs, gently add them to the pot during the last 30 minutes of simmering. This allows them to absorb some of the sauce's flavor.
6. 6Serve the caramelized pork and eggs (if using) over 4 cups of cooked rice. Top with 1 cup of pickled vegetables (do chua).

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