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Thit kho nuoc dua (braised pork with boiled egg and coconut
juice) is one of the most popular dishes in southern Vietnam
During the holidays, a lot of people travel and Thit kho nuoc dua (braised pork
with boiled egg and coconut juice) is a dish that can keep for days. So before
Tet, mom or grandma usually prepares several kilograms of pork, a dozen eggs and
some coconuts to make this dish for the whole Tet holiday, traditionally
celebrated for two weeks.
In the south, thit kho nuoc dua is also a popular daily dish and usually served
with boiled vegetable and steamed rice.
Thit kho nuoc dua has the subtle but distinguishable taste of coconut juice that
brings out the rich flavor of the pork and boiled eggs.
But it is a time consuming dish to make. The best pork to make this dish from is
the pig’s leg. Firstly, the pork must be cut into small cubes around 3cm2 and
then marinated with fish sauce, a bit of sugar and ground shallots for 30
minutes.
After that, the eggs are boiled and separated from shells. The best coconut
juice is from Xiem coconut, which is mixed with water (the same amount as the
coconut juice).
Then the marinated pork is cooked with the coconut juice and water mixture for
one hour before adding the boiled eggs. The mixture will be cooked for around
two hours more before serving.
When the dish is done, it has delicious yellow brown color of caramel, coconut
water and egg.
Visit any southern household for Tet, and one will certainly have the chance to
taste different thit kho nuoc dua dishes. Nowadays, the dish is available at
many traditional Vietnamese restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as at every
streetside rice stall.
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