Braised Pork in Caramelized Soy Sauce

We still had more left over Pork from July 4th. We made a new recipe for us: Braised Pork in Caramelized Soy Sauce. We met the author of the cookbook in Bali. It is a wonderful recipe. We really liked it! We started with a Nectarine Salad with Speck.

Braised Pork in Caramelized Soy

The Spice Merchant’s Daughter

Christina Arokiasamy

I grew up on this rustic dish. I distinctly remember the fragrance 0f ginger and tomatoes sizzling in the pan with pieces of pork in sweet soy sauce.

It would come out looking heavenly, reddish brown with an aroma that would get my mouth watering. Even now, every time I prepare this dish, my kids dash downstairs, asking “When’s dinner, Mom?” just as I did when I was little. Serve with Perfect Jasmine Rice and Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts with White Pepper serves 4

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, Peeled and cut into thick strips

5 garlic cloves, chopped

Fresh red chile, seeded and thinly sliced

Sprigs fresh curry leaves

2-inch cinnamon stick

2 star anise

1 large red onion, cut into thick rings

2 ripe tomatoes, quartered

1-1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder. Cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

3 Tablespoons sweet soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Pinch of salt

1.   Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, chile, curry leaves, cinnamon, star anise, and half of the onion. Cook, stirring, until the ginger and onion rings turn light brown and smell fragrant, about 7 minutes.

2.   Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the pork and mix well to coat with the spices. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes, until the pork is very soft.

3.   Add the remaining onion, the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, pepper, and salt. Raise the heat to medium, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and serve hot.