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Candy Pork

By Jessica Battilana

4.1

(18)

Vietnamese candy pork with greens atop white rice in a bowl.
Photo by Ed Anderson

This is what my kids call this recipe. Large chunks of pork shoulder are braised in a Vietnamese-style caramel sauce (made from a combination of fish sauce and palm sugar) that’s laced with Thai chilies, ginger, garlic, and shallots. The liquid in this braise is coconut water (not coconut milk), a trick I learned from chef Charles Phan when I was working with him on his first cookbook, Vietnamese Home Cooking. The pork emerges from the oven lacquered, tender, and sweet. Serve the fork-tender meat with plenty of rice and some sautéed pea shoots or greens.

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