Vietnamese Clay Pot Pork Food

CANDY PORK

Steps:

• Put the palm sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the sugar melts, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the sugar doesn't scorch. When the sugar is smooth and completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir in the fish sauce. The mixture may seize; if it does, return it to low heat and continue stirring until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a large Dutch oven over high heat, heat the canola oil. Season the pork pieces on all sides with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add some of the pieces of pork and sear until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pork. When all the pork has been browned, reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook, stirring, until the shallots are softened, about 2 minutes, then add the ginger, garlic, and chilies and cook 1 minute more. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot and add the caramel sauce and coconut water. The pieces of meat should poke up above the level of the liquid; if they're completely submerged, transfer the meat and liquid to a different pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the liquid is simmering. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
• After 15 minutes of cooking, uncover the pot; the liquid should be simmering gently. If it's bubbling too vigorously, reduce the oven temperature to 275°F. Cook for 70 minutes-the meat should be tender but not falling apart. Uncover the pot and continue cooking for 30 minutes more, until the exposed bits of pork are caramelized and the meat is tender. Remove from the oven and serve with steamed rice.

VIETNAMESE/CHINESE PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Whisk together the brown sugar, honey, fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, five-spice powder, sesame oil, shallot, garlic, onion, lemon grass, salt, and pepper in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
• Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat or preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Cook until the pork chops are no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes on each side.

MICHAEL BAO HUYNH'S VIETNAMESE CARAMELIZED PORK

Steps:

• Cover bottom of a large, heavy skillet with one cup sugar and place over medium low heat. As soon as it melts and turns golden, add pork, raise heat to medium, and stir until coated. (Sugar will become sticky and may harden, but it will re-melt as it cooks, forming a sauce.)
• Stir in remaining sugar, salt, pepper and fish sauce. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover, stir in garlic and oil and lower to simmer to reduce sauce for about 20 minutes.
• Stir in Vidalia onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Pork should be caramelized; if not, raise heat and sauté while sauce further reduces. Transfer to serving bowl, and sprinkle with scallion greens.

CLAY POT PORK

Steps:

• Put the sugar in a medium-size heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat, shaking gently every once in a while, until it starts to melt. Start stirring with a fork and continue, crushing clumps of sugar so that the sugar melts evenly. When the sugar is liquid, continue to cook for another minute or so until it darkens, then remove from heat.
• Combine the chicken stock and fish sauce and carefully add at arm's length to the sugar (it will splutter and pop). Turn heat to medium high, return sugar mixture to the heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until well combined. (If the sugar clumps when you add the liquid, don't worry, it will melt again.)
• Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, pepper, chili if using, and the white portion of the scallions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are nicely softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add pork to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, partly cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of stock or water if the pan looks too dry, until the pork is very tender and the liquid has reduced to a medium-thick sauce, about 1 hour.
• Remove from heat, add the green part of the scallions, and serve over steamed white rice.

VIETNAMESE CLAY POT PORK

Steps:

• Put oil in pot or pan over medium heat, add sugar and cook, stirring frequently till it dissolves.
• Add ginger, garlic, shallots, chili, cook for about 4-5 minutes Turn up the heat to high, add pork, stir till the meat has browned a little, then add water.
• When it comes to a boil, lower heat to simmer.
• Cut hard boil eggs in half and put into pot.
• This step is optional, but the eggs will absorb all the sauce and taste heavenly!
• Cover the pot and let it simmer.
• I find the longer you leave it, the better it taste.
• But after 30-35 minutes it's done.
• Serve with cooked white rice or basmati, and that's a meal there.
• Normally we just steam cabbage or water spinach for vegetables.

THIT KHO TO -- PORK IN CLAY POT

Steps:

• Make the caramel by heating the sugar in a small, heavy-based pan over a low heat.
• Stir constantly until it is moist and thick.
• Take off the heat and add the fish sauce.
• Return to a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the shallots and pepper to the caramel and leave to cool.
• Pour the sauce into a claypot or flameproof casserole.
• Add the pork to the sauce.
• Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally.
• At the end of cooking, the pork should be in a little rich gravy.
• Serve with the egg if using, spooning the gravy over them.

CLAY POT PORK

Steps:

• Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Allow to remain over heat until fully melted, and approximately the color of a US copper penny.
• Carefully add broth. It will steam and bubble wildly, and the caramel WILL seize. This is expected, and as you continue to apply heat, the caramel will dissolve back into a nice syrup.
• Add fish sauce, shallot, garlic, and white parts of scallions. Bring to a simmer until vegetables soften.
• Sprinkle pork with ground black pepper. Toss to coat, and add to pot. Simmer very low for 75-90 minutes. Serve with rice and top with scallion greens.

VIETNAMESE CLAY POT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the chicken.
• Mix all marinade ingredients together in a large bowl, add the chicken pieces and stir gently.
• Cover and place in the fridge for at least three hours, but not more than 24 hours.
• Place chicken, marinade, quartered onions, bok choy and chicken stock into the soaked clay pot, and mix gently.
• Cover and place the clay pot into a cold oven.
• Turn oven temperature to 360F - 375F (moderate heat).
• Bake for 1 hour or until chicken is tender.
• If using shiitake mushrooms, add 15 minutes before the end of cooking time.

VIETNAMESE BRAISED PORK IN COCONUT

Steps:

• In a clay pot or large saucepan, stir together the sugar and water.
• Over low heat, cook until it's a golden color, 5 to 10 minutes; watch closely, since as soon as the color begins to change, the sugar mixture can darken very quickly and burn.
• Remove from heat.
• Carefully stir in the coconut juice and fish sauce-- there may be a little spattering.
• Return to very low heat and stir until well blended, scraping up any caramelized pieces stuck to bottom of pan.
• Stir in the pork.
• Then stir in the shallots, ginger and five-spice powder.
• Simmer, partially covered, until pork is very tender, about 2 hours, stirring from time to time and checking to make sure liquid is not simmering too hard.
• When done, stir in the pepper.
• To serve, bring the clay pot to the table and serve from that, or spoon the stew into bowls.
• Garnish with the wedges of hard-cooked egg.
• Note: Do not substitute coconut milk.