Instant Pot Caramelized Pork And Eggs Thit Kho Trung Recipes

CARAMELIZED PORK BELLY (THIT KHO)

Steps:

• Slice pork belly into 1-inch pieces layered with skin, fat, and meat.
• Heat sugar in a large wok or pot over medium heat until it melts and caramelizes into a light brown syrup, about 5 minutes. Add pork and increase heat to high. Cook and stir to render some of the pork fat, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir shallots and garlic into the wok. Add fish sauce and black pepper; stir to evenly coat pork. Pour in coconut water and bring to a boil. Add eggs, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until pork is tender, about 1 hour.
• Remove wok from the heat and let stand, about 10 minutes. Skim the fat from the surface of the dish.

VIETNAMESE CARAMELIZED PORK (THIT KO) - INSTANT POT VERSION

Steps:

• Place eggs into the instant pot on a wire rack. Pour in 1 cup of water and set on high pressure for 5 minutes. Do a quick release and put the eggs in an ice bath. Peel and set aside.
• Combine the pork with garlic, shallot, salt, black pepper, msg, soy sauce in a large bowl. Let this marinate while you make the caramel sauce. You can also do this step ahead of time and just let it sit overnight in the fridge.
• Set the pot to Saute mode on high. Add in the marinated pork and saute for 5-7 minutes until the garlic and shallots are soft and the pork has some color. Deglaze with 1 cup of water making sure to scrape up all the bits. Turn off the pot.
• Time to make the caramel sauce! In a separate small frying pan, caramelize the sugar until it reaches a dark golden brown. Careful not to burn it. Watch it carefully! Slowly pour in ¼ cup of water and stir to make a sauce. Add to the instant pot. (You can also caramelize the sugar while your meat browns.).
• Add the hard boiled eggs, coconut soda, star anise pods and (if needed) just enough water to cover the pork. It should not take more than 2 cups. Cook it on high pressure for 30 minutes and NPR for 15 minutes.*.
• Add the fish sauce and salt to taste (if needed). Serve with rice and pickled vegetables!
• *OPTIONAL - Once you remove the lid, set it to Saute mode on high for 15 minutes to reduce the liquid by 1/3. You don't have to worry too much with the instant pot overboiling or over reducing because it will maintain the heat level and switch to "keep warm" when the timer shuts off.

THIT HEO KHO TRUNG (PORK AND EGGS IN CARAMEL SAUCE)

Steps:

• Make the caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the 1/4 cup sugar, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water until the sugar nearly dissolves, 60 to 90 seconds. Cook without stirring until the mixture turns champagne yellow, about 3 minutes, then continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, frequently picking up the pan and swirling it to control the caramelization. When the mixture is a dark tea color (expect faint smoking), turn off the heat and keep the pan on the burner. Let the caramelization continue until the mixture is burgundy in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide the pan to a cool burner and add 3 tablespoons water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Warm over medium heat to loosen, if needed.
• Cut the pork into chunks about 1-inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long, making sure each piece has both lean meat and fat. Warm the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in 2 or 3 batches, cook the pork on all sides until lightly browned, about 1 minute per batch, holding the seared meat on a plate. When done, return all the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot, then add the caramel sauce, fish sauce, onion, garlic, peppercorns and coconut water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim the scum, then adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until a knife tip inserted 1/4 inch into the pork meets little resistance, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Use tongs to retrieve the pork and hold in a bowl, loosely covered to prevent drying. If peppercorns cling to the pork, leave them for zing, or knock them off and discard. To quickly filter and remove fat from the cooking liquid, set a mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl, line with a double layer of paper towels and pour the liquid through. After most of the liquid passes through and a layer of fat remains above the solids, set the strainer aside. (Save the fat for cooking if you like.) You should have about 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid.
• Return the liquid to the pot, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, then add the pork and eggs. Cook, gently stirring now and then, to heat through and coat with the dark sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest 5 minutes, uncovered, to concentrate flavors. Taste and add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of fish sauce or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, or both, as needed for a pleasant savory-sweet finish. Transfer to a shallow bowl for serving. Invite diners to halve the eggs themselves. If you'd like spicy heat, gently smash the chiles in individual dishes for dipping sauce with some sauce from the pot, and use it to dip the pork and egg or to drizzle into the bowls.