Authentic Thịt Kho Tàu – Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly
Jan 10, 2025 12:27 PM
Thịt kho tàu (Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly) is classic comfort food of Viet families. Pork belly is slowly braised until it has a beautiful caramel color and becomes so flavorful and tender.
Caramelized pork belly is in the daily rotation of many Vietnamese families. They call it “thịt kho tàu” (or just “thịt kho” for short). When eggs are added to the dish, they will call the dish “thịt kho trứng“. The version with eggs is a must-have in the Lunar New Year feast of Southern Vietnamese people.
Thịt kho tàu is enjoyed in all parts of Vietnam, but there are some slight differences between the Northern and Southern versions.
Northern version: on the salty side, has less sauce, the braising liquid can be plain water, and the pork belly chunks are often smaller than in the South.
Southern version: on the sweet side, has more sauce, often braised with fresh coconut juice, and the pork belly chunks are bigger.
My favorite version, which I'm sharing today, combines the best of the Northern and Southern styles with a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs pork belly
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 shallots, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons water, divided
- cooking oil
- 3-4 tablespoons fish sauce (more or less to taste)
- 3 cups fresh coconut juice (about 2 coconuts)
- 6-8 eggs (more or less to your liking)
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
90 minutes
Total Time:
105 minutes
thank you
thank you
You are welcome, Vida