Thịt kho trứng: braised pork and eggs

Thịt kho trứng is a Vietnamese dish of pork belly and hard-boiled eggs slowly braised in coconut water, fish sauce and caramel until the pork is tender and the eggs turn a deep amber. In the South it's often called thịt kho hột vịt when made with duck eggs, and it's a traditional dish at Tết, the Lunar New Year.

It's also everyday comfort food: one pot, simple ingredients, and leftovers that keep for days.

What does the name mean?

• Thịt ("tit," heavy tone): meat, here pork.
• Kho ("kaw," level tone): to braise in a salty-sweet sauce.
• Trứng ("chuhng," rising tone): egg. In the South, hột vịt ("hoht vit") means duck egg.

Why is it a Tết dish?

In the South, families often make a big pot before Tết because it keeps well over the holiday days when markets close and cooking slows down. It's commonly eaten with rice and dưa giá (pickled bean sprouts) or pickled mustard greens, whose sourness cuts the richness. For the bigger picture, see what is Tết.

Allergen notes

This dish contains eggs and fish sauce (fish). It's otherwise free of nuts, gluten and dairy.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6)

• 2 lb (900 g) skin-on pork belly, or a mix of belly and shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) cubes
• 6 to 8 eggs (chicken or duck)
• 4 cups (about 1 liter) coconut water, not coconut milk
• 3 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp sugar for the caramel (or 1 to 2 tbsp nước màu)
• 3 shallots and 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt

Steps

• 1. Clean the pork. Put the pork in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes. Drain and rinse. This blanching step removes scum and gives a clearer sauce.
• 2. Boil and peel the eggs. Hard-boil the eggs, about 10 minutes for chicken eggs and 12 to 13 for duck eggs, then cool and peel. Some cooks lightly score or prick them so the sauce colors them faster.
• 3. Marinate. Toss the pork with fish sauce, shallots, garlic, pepper and salt. Let sit 20 to 30 minutes.
• 4. Make the caramel. In a heavy pot, melt the sugar with 1 tbsp water over medium heat until deep amber. Add the pork and stir to coat. Cook a few minutes until the pork browns slightly.
• 5. Braise. Pour in the coconut water; it should just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then lower to a bare simmer. Cook uncovered or partly covered for 1 hour.
• 6. Add the eggs. Tuck the eggs into the liquid and simmer 30 to 60 minutes more, until the pork is very tender and the sauce has reduced by about half. Turn the eggs now and then for even color.
• 7. Taste and finish. Adjust with fish sauce or a pinch of sugar. Skim excess fat from the surface if you like.

Tips for the best result

• Simmer low. A hard boil makes the sauce cloudy and the meat tough. Small, lazy bubbles are what you want.
• Use real coconut water. It gives the dish its gentle sweetness. Pick an unsweetened, unflavored one. Plain water with a bit more sugar works in a pinch.
• Fat is part of it. Pork belly's fat and skin turn silky over the long braise. For a leaner dish, use more shoulder, though it won't be quite as soft.
• Even better tomorrow. Chill overnight, lift off the solid fat if you like, and reheat. The eggs absorb more color and flavor as they sit.

How do you serve it?

• Steamed jasmine rice, spooning sauce over it.
• Pickled bean sprouts or mustard greens for contrast.
• Sliced cucumber or boiled greens.

At a Tết spread, it often sits next to bánh chưng and bánh tét.

Storage

Keep it in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4 days, or freeze the pork and sauce (without the eggs, which turn rubbery when frozen) for up to 2 months.

Same method, other pots

Thịt kho trứng uses the same caramel-and-fish-sauce braising technique as cá kho tộ. Once you're comfortable with one, the other comes easily.

If your sauce reduces too much before the pork is tender, add a splash of hot water or coconut water and keep simmering.