How to make the perfect Vietnamese caramel pork, or thit kho – recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect …
The Guardian · · g1581130
Slow-cooked pork in a deliciously sweet-salty glaze is Vietnamese comfort food at its best Many moons ago, I attended a cookery class in Hanoi that revealed to me the glories of thịt kho tàu , a simple but unbelievably delicious dish of caramelised pork braised in sweet coconut water and savoury fish sauce, enlivened by plenty of black pepper. In fact, loved it so much that I put their version in my cookbook, The A to Z of Eating, and then somehow forgot all about it for a decade. It’s easy to do that when you’re always working on the next recipe, but this week has been a very welcome rediscovery, not least because I’ve learned a lot more about what chef Thuy Diem Pham describes in her book The Little Viet Kitchen as “the ultimate home comfort food”. A family favourite, it’s also traditionally served as part of the lunar new year celebrations, because, in the words of Andrea Nguyen , “Tet is for savouring abundance, which explains why this rich, savoury braise of pork and eggs in bittersweet caramel sauce is a must-have”; and also, according to blogger Hungry Huy , “because of how well it keeps after cooking”. It’s so rich and full-flavoured that all you need to go with it is rice to soak up the sauce and perhaps a dish of pickled greens as a nod to health. Continue reading...