Caramelized Coconut Pork Belly And Eggs

11 December 2015

(Servings 6)

Happy Lunar New Year everyone! Well, it's officially on Monday; the year of the Monkey. Today I have for you, Caramelized Coconut Pork Belly and Eggs. I have yet to meet anyone who does not like this dish. But then again, what’s not to like? Let’s be real here, you’re obviously not going to be eating this dish everyday if you plan on being healthy but for those special occasions you just have to be a little more decadent. This is a traditional dish served during Tet, Vietnamese Lunar New Year. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that pickled items are also a Tet tradition as Pickled Mustard Greens pairs so well with this dish. When I don’t have any on hand, plain cucumber pieces will also do the trick.

I know, pork belly and bacon is the rave right now. But I have been enjoying pork belly way before it has become a fad. I am unsure about other cultures, but for Vietnamese cuisine, pork is widely used and pork belly is a prized cut for so many reasons. The perfect layers of meat and fat when cooked is mouth-wateringly soft with flavors words can not express. ![](https://fobesfamily.com/assets/images/2015/12/20150924-20150924-DSC_4319.jpg) ![](https://fobesfamily.com/assets/images/2015/12/20150924-20150924-DSC_4322.jpg)

There’s nothing about this dish that I do not like, from the color to the flavors, nothing I’d want to change. The brown caramel color is like candy for your eyes while the fragrance of the sauce just lures you in. And the salty and sweet flavors keep you wanting more! For those who would like to make this a bit healthier, you can refrigerate the dish and skim off the fat that consolidates at the top to make this dish healthier. But do remember that fat is flavor so do leave some for your palate’s enjoyment!

8 eggs, soft boiled	1. Peel and poke tiny holes around the egg with a toothpick. (NOTE: This is to allow the egg to easily absorb the flavor and color of the dish.)
1/3 cup sugar	2. In a deep pot on high heat, melt the sugar, stirring constantly until it becomes a deep brown color and becomes bubbly. 3. Turn off heat.
1 cup water, boiling	4. Slowly add water to the sugar to create a brown caramel color liquid. (NOTE: Be careful of the splatter as it’s HOT HOT HOT!) 5. Turn the heat back on to high and re-melt any re-crystalized sugar as necessary and set aside.
1 tbsp of oil	6. In a large dutch oven, on medium-high heat, add the oil.
1 1/2 lbs pork belly, cut into 1” cubes	7. Brown the pork in batches if needed.
1/2 tsp salt	8. Add the seasoning and mix well. 9. Gently place the eggs in the pot and pour in the sugar color.
1/3 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 tsp msg (optional)
12 fl oz can of coconut soda	10. Pour in the coconut soda and bring to a boil, skimming as needed. 11. Lower to medium-low heat and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for about 60 minutes until the pork is tender and easily poked through with a fork. (NOTE: At the last 20 minutes, check to make sure you have plenty of sauce to cook the meat. If not then add about 1 cup of water to prevent burning.) 12. Be sure to stir the contents every 20 minutes to get an even color. 13. Once the pork is tender enough, uncover the lid, increase the heat and reduce the sauce to your desired consistency. 14. Serve hot.