VIETNAMESE TIT RECIPES

Steps:

• Wash and cut pork belly into 3/4 inch (cubed)pieces.
• In a dry saucepan, melt sugar on high heat until it becomes golden brown but not candied.
• Immediately, add pork belly pieces, onions, pepper, and garlic. Stir to get a golden color on the meat.
• Add fish sauce and water, deglaze, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes (stirring occasionally) until sauce thickens a little. Add a little more fish sauce and black pepper to taste.
• Serve over white rice.
• Note: Some vietnamese add whole hard boiled eggs (better if you fry the hard boiled eggs in a little oil until golden brown skin) along with the liquids. Adding shrimp is also delicious.

Steps:

• For chicken liver pâté, combine chicken livers and milk in a non-reactive container and refrigerate to draw out excess blood (at least 2 hours or overnight). Preheat oven to 150C. Drain livers, then transfer to a claypot or a small baking dish with a lid, spread in single layer, pour on brandy and oil, season to taste, cover and bake until chicken livers are cooked pink and no longer look raw (40-50 minutes; a little blood in the braising liquor is okay). Drain livers (discard liquid), then process with butter in a blender until smooth. Add cream, season to taste and blend until just combined and smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a 1-litre pâté mould or container and refrigerate until set (2-3 hours; pâté will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days).
• For roast pork, raise oven to 220C. Rub pork with oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a roasting pan until skin starts to crackle (30 minutes), then reduce heat to 160C and roast until pork is just cooked through (45-55 minutes). Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until pork is chilled (2-3 hours).
• For pickles, bring sugar, vinegar, 100ml water and ½ tsp salt to the simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cool, then combine in a bowl with carrot and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (this can be done up to a day ahead). Just before serving add daikon, then drain.
• Split rolls, spread mayonnaise on one half and pâté thickly on the other. Thinly slice pork and place along the centre, then top with spring onion, white onion, coriander, chilli and pickles, drizzle with soy sauce and serve.