Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Pork hocks
2L water
1 Star anise
teaspoon of salt
1 cup Palm Sugar
½ cup Water
1 long red chilli seeded and cut
2 tablespoons Ginger julienne
¼ cup Fish sauce
¼ cup fresh Lime juice
Method
1.Get your butcher to cut the hocks into 5cm sections
2.Place pork in pressure cooker with enough water to nearly cover it – about 2 litres. Add the Star Anise and teaspoon of salt.
3.Cook on low pressure for 35 minutes then allow pressure to fall naturally
4.Remove from the stock and drain well. Reserve stock for another occasion
5.Refrigerate the hocks (overnight if time permits).
6.Remove the meat from the bone.
7.To make the sauce, put the palm sugar in a saucepan
with half the water and boil until the sugar caramelises.
8.Add the chilli, ginger and the remaining water, and
9.stir to prevent the sauce from seizing or solidifying.
10.Add the fish sauce and lime juice and simmer, stirring
constantly, for 1 minute.
11.Keep warm.
12.Place pork on an oiled or non stick baking tray into a hot oven (230 deg c) for 20 minutes until brown and a little crunchy
Notes & Tips
This is based on a well known Neil Perry recipe. There is also something similar at Longrain. It avoids the need to deep fry the pork which is an exceedingly messy operation. the pressure cooker operation shortens the time and keeps the pork moist.
The sauce should taste of chilli, sweet, salty and sour,
but most importantly it should be in balance. This is a versatile sauce that also goes well with fried fish and barbecued seafood, or even crisp-fried Master Stock Chicken.
The pork hock is so tender it cuts like butter and can be easily eaten with chopsticks. Make sure that the pork is fatty, or the meat will be
too dry.