Vietnamese Caramel Black Pepper Pork

Vietnamese home cooking (Thịt Kho) often uses caramel (Nước hàng) to braise meat, resulting in a glossy color and a savory-sweet flavor. Slow-cooking in an electric pot makes the meat tender and flavorful. Main Ingredients: 300g pork shoulder or belly (cut into thick slices), 2 shallots (minced, or substitute with minced onion if unavailable). Seasonings: Fish Sauce: 2 tbsp Sugar (or coconut sugar): 1.5 tbsp (half a tablespoon can be dry-pan caramelized to a light caramel color, or soy sauce can be used directly for color) Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp Coarse Black Pepper: A generous amount of black pepper (the soul of Vietnamese cuisine) Water: Half a cup Instructions: Marinate: Mix the pork slices with shallots, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, and black pepper. Marinate for 15-20 minutes. Electric Pot Braising: Place the marinated meat in a deep bowl and add half a cup of water. Add 1.5 cups of water to the outer pot of the electric cooker and press the cook button. Finishing the Sauce: After cooking, check if the meat is tender by poking it with chopsticks (if you prefer melt-in-your-mouth texture, add another half cup of water to the outer pot and steam again). Sprinkle a final layer of fragrant black pepper before serving.