Caramelised Pork Hock with Tamarind Sauce - Chef Recipe Ennis Le

Ingredients

5 pickled pork hocks
2 handfuls lemongrass offcuts
2 bunches Vietnamese mint
4L chicken stock

Caramel:

1kg caster sugar
1.1L water
150mL fish sauce
Water

Hock Sauce:

300mL caramel
2 Tbs tamarind paste
3 sliced chillies

Nuoc Cham:

850g sugar
1.75L water
850mL lemon juice
2 bottles Phu Quoc fish sauce

Pickled Carrot and Papaya/Daikon:

10 carrots
1 papaya/daikon

Pickle Liquid:

1L water
1.5L vinegar
1kg sugar

Method

Pork Hock:

Line a tray with baking paper. Bring stock to heat. Place mint and lemongrass on the bottom of the tray and hock on top.

Cover with liquid and then a layer of baking paper and two layers of foil.

Bake in oven at 150 C for three hours 15 minutes.

Remove and place on wire racks when tender.

To serve, deep fry hock at 180 C, pour over caramel and hock sauce and place on a serving plate.

Caramel:

Place sugar and water in a pot on a high heat until the sugar dissolves, starts to bubble and is a light golden colour. Remove from the heat and cut with fish sauce and water – be careful, it will flash everywhere.

Hock Sauce:

Bring caramel to heat and season with tamarind and chilli.

Nuoc Cham:

Dissolve sugar in boiling water, add fish sauce and lemon juice. Place in a serving bowl.

Pickled Carrot and Papaya/Daikon:

Peel carrot, papaya and daikon. Julienne and wash, then put into pickle liquid and store in a cool room for a few hours. When ready, serve on the side of the pork hock.

To serve:

Cook a packet of vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 6 minutes, strain and place on a serving plate. Place pork hock on plate and garnish with mint and coriander. Add sides of pickle and Nuoc Cham sauce.

Recipe provided by Hanoi Mee Kitchen & Bar