CARAMELIZED GROUND PORK RECIPES

Steps:

• Cover bottom of a large, heavy skillet with one cup sugar and place over medium low heat. As soon as it melts and turns golden, add pork, raise heat to medium, and stir until coated. (Sugar will become sticky and may harden, but it will re-melt as it cooks, forming a sauce.)
• Stir in remaining sugar, salt, pepper and fish sauce. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover, stir in garlic and oil and lower to simmer to reduce sauce for about 20 minutes.
• Stir in Vidalia onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Pork should be caramelized; if not, raise heat and sauté while sauce further reduces. Transfer to serving bowl, and sprinkle with scallion greens.

Steps:

• Toss cucumber slices and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to coat evenly. Let sit until cucumber slices start to release their liquid, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine in a small bowl to combine; set aside.
• Using your hands, form pork into five or six small patties. Season lightly with salt; set aside.
• Drain cucumber slices in a colander and rinse well under cool running water. Drain, shaking off any excess water, then pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook cucumber slices, tossing vigorously, until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
• Wipe out skillet and heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high. Add reserved pork patties; gently flatten with a spatula. Cook, pressing occasionally to help meat make contact with pan, until deeply browned and crisp underneath, about 4 minutes. Flip patties; cook until other side is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Break up pork into large pieces; continue to cook until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add chile, ginger, garlic, and white pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cucumber back to skillet along with reserved sauce. Cook, tossing often, until sauce is reduced and evenly coats pork and cucumber slices, about 1 minute. Serve stir-fry with rice.