Vietnamese Caramelized Pork

Description

Thit kho to – a sticky-sweet pork dish with funky undertones of nuoc mam – is often served on Tet Nguyen Dan, the Vietnamese New Year and the nation's most important holiday. This recipe is adapted from Michael Bao Huynh, a chef and restaurateur who came to the United States as a refugee in 1982.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 pounds pork belly or butt, sliced into thin, inch-long strips
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• ...

Directions

1. Cover bottom of a large, heavy skillet with one cup sugar and place over medium low heat. As soon as it melts and turns golden, add pork, raise heat to medium, and stir until coated. (Sugar will become sticky and may harden, but it will re-melt as it cooks, forming a sauce.)
2. Stir in remaining sugar, salt, pepper and fish sauce. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover, stir in garlic and oil and lower to simmer to reduce sauce for about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in Vidalia onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Pork should be caramelized; if not, raise heat and sauté while sauce further reduces. Transfer to serving bowl, and sprinkle with scallion greens.