Pork Belly braised in Coconut Water

Pork Belly braised in Coconut Water

Pork Belly braised in Coconut Water

Yes, I have an obsession with pork belly. This is a great Vietnamese dish that is very simple to make. This dish is very similar to a Thai dish one of my old roommates used to make, but pork shoulder was used instead of pork belly. I must admit, I think drinking coconut water is pretty gross. But when used as a braising liquid for pork belly, it is something magical when commingling with pork fat. I also love how the hard boiled eggs absorb some of the braising liquid, giving it a nice dark color. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: main course, Pork, Vietnamese
Servings: 2
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 1 lb sliced pork belly 1″ pieces
  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • 3 shallots sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 dried chilies
  • 2 cups coconut water
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 5 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 bunch green onions chopped

Instructions

  • In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add the cooking oil. Sauté the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes.
    Vietnamese, main course, pork
  • Add in the pieces of pork belly. Brown on both sides.
    Vietnamese, main course, pork
  • Add in the coconut water, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, dried chilies, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil.
    Vietnamese, main course, pork
  • Once boiling, add the hard boiled eggs. Cover. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours.
    Vietnamese, main course, pork
  • The last 5 minutes of cooking, turn up the heat to medium high to help thicken the sauce. Add in the green onions.
    Vietnameses, main course, pork
  • Before serving, remove the eggs and slice in half.
    Vietnamese, main course, Pork
  • Serve with steamed rice.
    Vietnamese, main course, pork