Vietnamese slow braised pork belly with Hard Boiled egg is a traditional Vietnamese dish that is usually eaten on special occasions (personally I can eat this everyday). It’s one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever eaten and it’s so simple to make. The pork belly becomes gelatinous and caramelised with the combination of sauces and spices used, for me the star anise is the hero as it compliments the pork perfectly.

Ingredients 
1 kg pork belly fat on, cut into 5 cm cubes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 golden shallots, finely diced
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp ketchup manis
4 star anise
½ tsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp palm sugar or dark brown sugar
2 whole green shallots, chopped roughly
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ white onion, finely diced
4 cups young coconut juice, no pulp (I use the coconut juice in the packet bought form asian groceries)
1½ cups water (only if you want it saucy, if you prefer sticky and caramelized do not add water)
8 hard free range boiled eggs, peeled
Jasmine rice, crispy deep fried onions and coriander, to serve

1.Combine pork belly, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, light soy sauce, ketchup manis, pepper, star anise and sugar. Marinate pork for at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Heat vegetable oil in heavy based pan and brown onion, remove from the meat from the marinade and seal the meat over high heat.
3. Add the remaining marinate, coconut juice and water, bring to the boil then turn down to low for a slow simmer for 1 hour, skimming the surface every now and then.
4. Add hard boiled eggs and simmer for another hour. If you like it saucy, serve now. If you prefer sticky and caramelized, cook for a further 30 – 40 minutes on medium to high heat  without the lid and let it reduce by 80%.
5. Serve with Rice, coriander and deep fried onions.

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