Thịt ba chỉ kho

Vietnam is very much close to my heart.  We have awesome Vietnamese friends that actually helped change our live.

For 2017, I tell myself that I must introduce more Vietnamese cuisine to the family.

Thịt ba chỉ kho is pretty close to Chinese cuisine as well.  Instead of using soya sauce, Vietnamese uses fish sauce which is also a staple seasoning in my kitchen.  

In fact,  I have change from soya sauce to fish sauce when seasoning vegetable for many years now and I personally find it more flavourful than soya sauce.

Back to this dish, it is easy and yet delicious to whip up.  In actual fact, the dish tasted better overnight.

What you need:

500g pork belly, 1" thick
1 tbsp fish sauce

6 clove garlic, minced
6 shallot, minced

1 tbsp dark soy sauce
dark brown sugar (adjust to taste)
2 cup water
salt to taste
1 tsp black pepper

Method:

Wash and drain pork belly.  Cut pork belly into 2" slices.

Marinate with fish sauce for 1 hour.

In a hot wok, add oil and saute shallot and garlic until fragrant.  Do not brown it.

Add in pork belly and lower heat to brown pork.

Add in water and dark soya sauce.  Bring to a boil.

Lower heat and slowly let it simmer until pork is soft.  If need to, add in more water.

Once pork is soft and water has nearly dried up, add in brown sugar (adjust to your liking).  And dry fry pork until sugar is melted.

Season with salt and pepper if needed.