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diff --git a/blog/kholow.md b/blog/kholow.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ad8b87 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/kholow.md @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ ++++ +rss = "Sino-Vietnamese caramelized pork and eggs, but by a slow cooker" +date = Date(2023, 6, 3) +tags = ["lyf", "recipe"] ++++ + +# Slow Cooked Pork and Eggs + +[Thịt kho tàu], literally *Chinese braised pork*, is one of the most common +Vietnamese dish, to be found anywhere from military camps[^USTH] +to fancy restaurants, anytime from family diners to new year holidays. +While originated from southeastern China, over the years it adopted +local ingredients such as [fish sauce] and coconut flesh and probably +does not taste the same. + +Due to time constraints, home cooks usually relies on fattier cuts +such as the belly to maintain the juiciness. The downside is that +the excess fat can quickly tell the liver to tune down the appetite +after a few meals.[^ngán] This put me in an awkward position, +since I was conditioned to feel wrong about braising a serving size +of anything (I was living alone when typing this). + +Though, as said three sentences ago, leaner cuts can be as tender +when cooked longer. This is where slow cookers come to the rescue: +they maintain temperature between 80 and 100°C and after eight hours +even the toughest cuts will just fall apart. The best part? +No supervision needed. Water doesn't even boil at that temperature, +so accidentally burning food is never a worry. + +For the ease of maintenance, I'd recommend slow cookers whose pot and lid +can be taken out for cleaning. The pot should also be relatively large +(3L[^imperial] or more) if you want to make other vegetable-rich stews. + +## Ingredients + +As a [big fan] of [Chef Jean-Pierre], I eyeball the amount of pretty much +all ingredients here. The amount of pork and eggs should be enough +to at least fill the bottom of the pot. I prefer quail eggs for their +bite size and leaner cuts of pork but with some intramuscular fat +and tendons. Hocks, hams and shoulders are all good and cheap candidates. +Leave the skin on, the gelatine helps thicken the sauce. I like equal amount +of eggs and meat. + +For seasoning, you'll need fish sauce, sugar, whole black pepper, +and optionally shallot, garlic and hard coconut meat. + +## Preparation + +Boil the eggs and peel them. Layer them in the pot. Peel and slice one +or two cloves of garlic and sprinkle them in there. If you have coconut meat, +julienne[^coconut] and throw it in as well. + +Cut the pork into bite-size dice. Place the skin facing up or the side +of the pot. You want (some of it) to be drier for texture variety. +Peel a few cloves of shallot and embed them between the dice of pork. + +## Cooking + +Pour a very thin layer of sugar on a sauce pan and heat it up at medium low +to make some dark caramel (too low you'll just get liquid sugar and too high +you'll burn it faster than the [blue hedgehog]). Soon as it's bubbling, +carefully pour in some water. The amount should be able to almost cover +the meat and eggs in the pot. + +While waiting the caramel to dissolve, add fish sauce to taste, and throw in +a generous number of peppercorns. Transfer the sauce to the pot, making sure +the eggs are fully covered (they can be really chewy when dry: another reason +to favor the quail ones). + +Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for around eight hours. Tastes amazing +either hot or cold, best served with boiled or pickled vegetables and any kind +of starch, commonly rice or sweet potatoes but you can try bread, potatoes, +or even short pasta if you're feeling adventurous. + +[^USTH]: My ole frens from [USTH] absolutely dug it during military training! +[^ngán]: Okay, maybe I lied about the digging part. +[^imperial]: Or 0.12245589 diesel tank in freedom units. +[^coconut]: Anywhere between the size of a matchstick and a chopstick is good. + +[Thịt kho tàu]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramelized_pork_and_eggs +[fish sauce]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_sauce +[big fan]: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013-06-08_mechanical_fan_for_hot_air_ballon.jpg +[Chef Jean-Pierre]: https://chefjeanpierre.com +[blue hedgehog]: https://nixnet.social/notice/AL2XqGNF2VwKgmbLfc +[USTH]: https://usth.edu.vn |