Thit Kho Trung
Ingredients
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- 8 large eggs
- 2 quarts water – for boiling eggs
- 4 cups ice – for ice bath
- 2 pounds pork belly – cut into 1.25–1.5 inch pieces
- 1 medium shallot – finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar – for caramel (nuoc mau)
- 4 cups coconut water
- green onions – thinly sliced (for serving)
- steamed jasmine rice – for serving
Instructions
1. Place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with 2 quarts water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a gentle boil and cook 9–10 minutes until hard-boiled. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel and set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine pork belly with shallot, garlic, fish sauce, and black pepper. Toss well and marinate 20–30 minutes while you prepare the pot.
3. Heat the neutral oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook, stirring, until it melts and turns a deep amber, 3–5 minutes. Add the marinated pork and stir to coat and lightly caramelize, 3–4 minutes.
4. Pour in the coconut water to mostly cover the pork and bring to a boil. Skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes.
5. Nestle the peeled eggs into the pot and continue simmering, uncovered, 15–25 minutes, until the pork is tender and the sauce is glossy and syrupy enough to lightly coat a spoon. If needed, raise the heat for the last 5–10 minutes to reduce.
6. Remove from heat and rest 10 minutes. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and scatter with green onions.
Thit Kho Trung is a Vietnamese braise of pork belly and eggs simmered in a savory-sweet caramel sauce. The pork turns tender with layers of silky fat, while the eggs take on a bronzed hue and absorb the sauce’s salty, sweet, and aromatic notes. Coconut water lends a gentle roundness that balances fish sauce and caramel, making the dish deeply comforting with a glossy finish perfect over hot rice.
Rooted in southern Vietnamese home cooking, Thit Kho Trung is closely associated with Tết (Lunar New Year), when pots of the stew are kept warm and shared with family. The technique centers on nuoc mau, a dark caramel that provides both color and a bittersweet backbone. Over time, households have adapted the dish with local preferences—some using coconut soda instead of coconut water or adding chilies—yet the essence remains a tender pork-and-egg braise flavored by caramel and fish sauce.