Caramel Pork Recipe

By Kitchen Sanctuary

Ingredients

100 g (1/2 cup) white sugar
1 tbsp water
1 kg (2.2lb) pork shoulder (chopped into 1-inch chunks)
480 ml (2 cups) water
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 medium onion (peeled and thinly sliced)
4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
2 tsp lemongrass paste ((or two lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed and centre stalk thinly sliced))
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
6 kaffir lime leaves (roughly torn)

Prep Time15mins
Cook Time100mins
Servings4

Instructions

Add the sugar and water to a large heavy-based pan and stir. Heat over a medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until bubbling and light-golden brown.

Add in the pork chunks and stir. Cook for 5 minutes in the sugar mixture, stirring often.

Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat to low and let it simmer gently (no lid) for 1 hour 15 mins - to -1 hour 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender (it should break apart with a fork pressed against it).

**The liquid will evaporate during this time and the pork will cook and caramelise in its own fat. You can add a little splash of water or oil if the liquid evaporates too fast - to stop it sticking or burning.

**If you'd like a little bit of liquid to pour on your rice, add a couple of splashes of water to the pan right at the end of cooking the pork and stir it in, then serve.

Serve the pork with rice and your favourite green vegetables. I serve mine with grilled spring onions (scallions).