Clay-Pot Cá Kho with Pork Belly and Homemade Nước Màu

Method

1. Rub the fish with the coarse salt, leave for 2 minutes, then rinse well in cold water to remove the slime and any muddy smell. Pat very dry with kitchen paper.

   Add in this stepCoarse salt (for cleaning) 1 tspCatfish steaks, bone-in, 2 cm thick 350 g

2. Toss the fish with part of the fish sauce, the palm sugar, half the shallots and garlic, the ginger and part of the pepper, and marinate in the fridge for 30 min.

   Add in this stepFish sauce 1¼ tbspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 2 tspShallots, minced 1Garlic, minced 1½Ginger, cut into fine strips 8 gCoarsely ground black pepper 0.4 tsp

3. For the nước màu, put the sugar alone in a small light-coloured stainless pan on medium-low heat. Don't stir; swirl the pan as it heats for 5 min: it melts, then darkens to a very deep mahogany brown and just begins to smoke. Turn off the heat, stand back and pour in the hot water; it will hiss and may spit. Swirl until it becomes a syrup. It should taste bittersweet, never burnt and black.

   Add in this stepSugar (for the nước màu) 2½ tbspHot water (for the nước màu) 20 ml

   medium-low heat

4. Lay the pork belly in a 16 cm clay pot and cook on medium heat for 5 min, until the fat renders and the edges turn golden. Add the remaining shallots and garlic and fry until fragrant. The pork protects the fish from sticking and enriches the sauce.

   Add in this stepPork belly, sliced 4 mm thick 80 gShallots, minced 1Garlic, minced 1½

   medium heat

5. Lay the fish on the pork in a single layer and add the marinade, nước màu, coconut water, remaining fish sauce and chillies. Bring to the boil over high heat, then turn down to low heat and simmer uncovered for 40 min, basting every 10 minutes and turning the fish carefully just once. It is ready when the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds and turned glossy.

   Add in this stepCoconut water, unsweetened 200 mlFish sauce ¾ tbspBird's eye chillies 2

   high heat→low heat

6. Turn off the heat, cover and leave for 15 min so the flavour soaks right in. Just before serving, bring it back to a bubble on medium heat for 3 min, until the sauce lacquers the fish, then scatter with the remaining pepper and the spring onions and serve in the pot. Check that the flesh by the bone is opaque and flakes easily.

   Add in this stepCoarsely ground black pepper 0.6 tspSpring onions, in 4 cm lengths 2

   medium heat