Hue paddy field pork

Description

Hue is famous for its imperial banquets and the flamboyant way of presenting food to please the ruling emperor of the time. This is a good everyday recipe from the paddy fields within the imperial citadel walls.

Ingredients

100g/3½oz light muscovado sugar
125ml diluted fish sauce (for every tbsp of fish sauce add three of water until you have 125ml)
500g/1lb 2oz boneless pork loin
4 tbsp chopped shallots
4 kaffir lime leaves
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large chilli, sliced lengthways and deseeded
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ lime, juice only
4 hard-boiled quail's eggs, shelled and halved
To serve
4 cloves garlic, sliced and deep-fried, to garnish
sticky coconut rice

Method

1. Put all the sugar into a pan over a gentle heat and stir constantly until it melts. You may need a little of the diluted fish sauce to help it on its way. Allow the colour to darken, then slowly add the remaining diluted fish sauce until it all amalgamates and goes a darkish brown.
2. Add the pork, the chopped shallot, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, chilli, pepper and lime juice. Cover and simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you like a thicker sauce, leave the lid off the pan for the last 10 minutes.
3. Arrange the quail's eggs on a plate with the pork and pour the sauce on top. Garnish with deep-fried garlic flakes and serve with sticky coconut rice.