Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly

Across the world, Asians began consuming this wonderful cut of meat centuries ago, possibly as early as 5000 B.C., and it is neither trendy nor unusual to find pork belly eaten throughout households of Asian-American families.  Scholars believe the Chinese were the first to domestic the wild boar and bring us the culinary use of pork.  Roasted whole pig adorns many tables during the Lunar New Year and other Asian celebrations.  The crispy outer layer of skin delights, and the entire animal is cherished for its sweet meat and wonderful hue.

Recently, a trend throughout America rages on in kitchens manned by everyday, workman chefs to the haute cuisine of the Napa Valley. Pork belly! Glance at almost any menu and the belly will hold a prominent spot as the pork option either in appetizer or entree form.

From Okinawa to China to Vietnam and back, the pig holds its place among the culinary treasures of the Orient. I would guess it is almost as wonderful as the "hand-carved alabaster bathing vessel" that Marcus Vindictus gifted to "Julius Caesar" in History of the World.   

Many Vietnamese versions include coconut water or milk and caramel sauce.  I was researching something different, and I adapted this from Charles Phan's Vietnamese Home Cooking.

Caramelized Pork Belly

1-2 lb. pork belly skin on

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp fermented red bean curd

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 Thai chili

4 pieces star anise

4 inch long pieces ginger
4 cloves garlic, mashed

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pork belly.  Cook for 5 minutes, and remove the pork. Using a fork, poke holes in the skin and rub with half the soy sauce.  In a heavy bottomed pot, on medium high, heat the oil, and add pork, skin side down.  Lower to medium and cover the pot for about 10 minutes.  While this cooks, mix the remaining soy, oyster sauce, fish sauce, red bean curd, and sugar to make our braising seasoning.  The bean curd should be mashed to form a paste.   

Flip the belly over.  It should be nice and brown.  Cook on the other side for an additional 4 minutes.  Remove the pork and place it in a pan.  Pour the pork fat into a jar and reserve. Cover the pork with cold water allowing the skin to bubble.  Remove the pork and slice into 1/2 inch or so strips.  

In our pot, add a couple of tablespoons of pork fat and sweat the garlic and ginger.  When fragrant, add the braising paste, star anise, Thai chili and cook for another minute, and add about 2-3 cups of water.  Add the pork, mix well, cover and simmer for about one hour and thirty minutes.  

Never boring and always reliable, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers excels much like our beloved pork belly!  This Hall of Famer provides a blueprint on American rock classics.  Their debut album gave us the hits "Breakdown" and "American Girl", which paved the way for standouts such as "You Got Lucky", "The Waiting", "Refugee", and the amazing duet with Stevie Nicks "Stop Draggin My Heart Around."  

Petty churned out hit after hit over the next few years.  Full Moon Fever and Into the Great Wide Open  overlapped with his work in the supergroup the Travelin Wilburys (which included Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne).  

A huge influence on many of today's rockers, Petty brings FM radio to life.  When the local station becomes boring, just move over to internet radio or go back to 1985 and check out this outfit as he performs Refugee.

Stewed Chicken Feet with Spring Onions and Exotic Mushrooms

Ahh, few things are more tasty than tendon!  Plus a sweet, spicy, zesty sauce!  How can this be bad?  Cooked until tender and finished with fresh herbs, chicken feet are among the more exotic and delicious appetizers in Asian cuisine.  

My first experience with chicken feet happened at a local Dim Sum restaurant, and they were stewed in a spicy, thick sauce.  I took a bite and gently removed the edible tissue from the small bones and discarded the bones.  I have been hooked ever since.  

Chicken feet are filled with small bones and delicious tendon and skin.  Throughout the world, the feet are a delicacy and can be grilled, fried, or boiled.  The Asian market sells boneless feet, which will make it a little easier to eat, but there are still a few small pieces of bone, so be careful.

Chan Ga Hap An Voi Xot Nam Hanh La-Stewed Chicken Feet with Exotic Mushrooms and Spring Onions

1lb. boneless chicken feet

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp minced ginger

2 spring onions sliced

2 cloves garlic minced

¼ cup canola oil

2 cups exotic mushrooms (enoki, beech, oyster, etc.)

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Vietnamese Coriander

Cilantro

Sauce

2 tbsp mirin

½ cup chicken stock

2 tsp light soy sauce

2 tsp oyster sauce

2 tsp nuoc mam

2 tsp sugar

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp salt

Make sure chicken feet are cleaned and blanche for about 25-30 minutes.  Remove them and run under cold water to chill and prevent discoloration.  Mix all the ingredients for the sauce.  Toss the feet with soy sauce, and let them marinate for a few minutes.  Heat oil in a wok or large pan, fry for about 5 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown.  Remove the feet to a side pan.   

Leaving a few tablespoons of oil in the wok, add the ginger, garlic, and onions.  Stir fry for a few minutes, and add the feet.  Toss everything gently and deglaze with the mixed sauce.  Let the feet and seasoning stew for about 10 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, and continue to cook until mushrooms and feet are done.  The sauce should thicken, and check for seasoning.  Finish with some torn herbs, sesame seeds and a side bowl of rice.  A few small bones might be in the feet, but they should be soft enough to eat, or just remove them and enjoy.  

"Do you remember rock n roll radio?"  Joey Ramone said these immortal words, and it might ring truer now than in 1980.  So I dug into the files and busted out some old R.E.M which included one of my favorites tunes "7 Chinese Brothers" from the Reckoning album.  College radio was a staple in the 80's and 90's, and the Athens quartet was a force.  Chicken feet and R.E.M., now that is an afternoon, and I loved it. 

The weather was slightly humid, and I was unsure of the direction of my alcoholic beverage.  Therefore, I decided to go to an old staple- the Pina Colada.  When in doubt, this frozen tropical drink seems to put a smile on my face.  Put 4oz. Coco Lopez, 4 oz. pineapple chunks with juice, 3 oz. Spiced Rum, and a few cups of ice into a blender and puree until you have the texture of a smoothie.  Add more of any of the above ingredients according to taste, but if you add more liquid, then you will need to add a few more ice cubes.  Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!!