Thịt Kho Trứng (Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly and Eggs in Coconut Water)

• 6 Egg, large
• 300 g Jasmine rice
• 3 Shallot
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 45 g Palm sugar
• 800 g Pork belly, skin on
• 60 ml Fish sauce
• 30 ml Light soy sauce
• 1 liter Coconut Water
• 1 tsp Black peppercorns
• 2 Spring onion

1. Put the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, cool under cold running water, then peel and set aside.
2. Rinse the jasmine rice in a colander until the water runs mostly clear. Cook the rice by your preferred method and keep warm.
3. Peel and thinly slice the shallots, and finely chop the garlic. Cut the pork belly into bite-size chunks.
4. Set a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the palm sugar with 2 tbsp water. Cook, swirling the pot, until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber caramel.
5. Carefully add the pork belly to the caramel and stir to coat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until the pork is lightly browned and the caramel clings to the meat.
6. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the fish sauce, light soy sauce, coconut water and black peppercorns, scraping up any caramelised bits from the base.
7. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender.
8. Add the peeled eggs, making sure they are mostly submerged. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until the eggs are warmed through and the sauce tastes rounded and slightly sweet-savoury.
9. Thinly slice the spring onion. Serve the braised pork and eggs with jasmine rice, spooning plenty of coconut sauce over the top and finishing with the spring onion.

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