“Sườn non” is a cut of pork that has a soft, fatty part surrounding a small bone. It has become one of the most popular ingredients in Vietnamese cuisine due to its natural sweetness, tenderness, and low fat content. For Vietnamese people, “sườn non kho nước dừa” (braised pork belly with coconut water) has become a very familiar dish, as it is made from readily available ingredients such as pork belly, simple spices, and fresh coconut water.

Let’s explore some delicious Vietnamese dishes with the following cooking recipes. You will learn how to make “sườn non kho nước dừa” that is rich in flavor and true to its roots!

Sườn rim nước dừa

Pork belly braised with coconut water

 

Pork belly braised with coconut water

Ingredients

  • Pork spare ribs, cut into 2-3cm pieces
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 garlic, minced
  • Coconut water
  • Fish sauce
  • Sugar
  • Pepper

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing the ingredients:

  • Rinse the pork spare ribs and cut them into bite-sized pieces (each piece should be 2-3cm long). Blanch them in boiling water to remove the fat and bone fragments.
  • Peel and mince the onion and garlic.

Step 2: Braising the pork spare ribs with coconut water

  • Fry the onion and garlic until fragrant, then add the pork spare ribs and stir-fry over high heat. When the meat is slightly charred, quickly pour in the fresh coconut water and cook.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook until the coconut water is lightly boiling, then season with a mixture of 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
  • Continue cooking over low heat until the liquid in the pot has reduced and thickened like a sauce. Turn off the heat and sprinkle some ground pepper on top.
  • The pork belly braised with coconut water is delicious when it has a sweet aroma of braised meat, a salty taste of spices, a little sweetness, a little saltiness, and the meat is firm but tender, not dry and hard.

 

Pork belly braised with pickled mustard greens

In the past, pork belly braised with pickled mustard greens was one of the delicious and luxurious dishes, but as society developed, it became familiar to many Vietnamese people and often appeared in daily meals

 

Canh thịt quay dưa chua

Pork belly braised with pickled mustard greens

Ingredients

  • 300g pork belly, roasted and cut into 3x3cm pieces
  • 200g pickled mustard greens, washed and drained
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 tomato, cut into wedges
  • 1 chili pepper, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of minced purple onion
  • 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
  • 1 liter of water
  • Salt, sugar, and fish sauce to taste

Instructions

Step 1: 

Rinse the pickled mustard greens with water to reduce the sourness. Squeeze out the excess water and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Grind the tamarind to extract the juice.

Step 2: 

Fry the minced purple onion in a pot until fragrant, then add the pickled mustard greens and stir-fry until cooked. Add cold water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the tamarind juice, chili pepper, onion, and tomato to the pot. Set the heat to medium.

Step 3: 

Cut the roasted pork belly into 3x3cm pieces. When the soup boils, add the pork to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the stir-fried pickled mustard greens to the pot and cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt, sugar, and fish sauce to taste.

The delicious “Canh dưa chua thịt quay” is when the soup is not too salty, has a moderate sourness, the pork is not too tough, and the pickled mustard greens are crispy and easy to eat.

Enjoy your meal!