Vietnamese Sunday Dinner: Caramelized Pork Belly and Egg

1Begin by hard boiling the eggs (6 large). Place the eggs (6 large) in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs (6 large), place them in cold water to cool, then peel and set aside.

2In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil (1 tablespoon) over medium heat. Add the sugar (4 tablespoons) and cook, stirring continuously, until the sugar (4 tablespoons) melts and turns a rich golden brown. This is the caramel that will give the dish its distinct flavor.

3To the caramel, add the minced garlic and shallot (1), stirring until aromatic, about 1 minute. Then, add the pork belly (1 kg) cubes and toss well to coat each piece in the caramel.

4Pour in the coconut water (500 ml), fish sauce (3 tablespoons), and sprinkle the black pepper (1 teaspoon) over the pork. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for about 1.5 hours, or until the pork is tender.

5Add the hard-boiled eggs (6 large) to the pot, gently stirring to coat them in the sauce. Cover and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes, allowing the eggs (6 large) to absorb the flavors.

6To serve, arrange the caramelized pork belly (1 kg) and eggs (6 large) on a serving plate. Garnish with chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, and sliced cucumber (1). Serve alongside steamed jasmine rice.