Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly with Fermented Shrimp Paste (Thịt Xào Mắm Ruốc)
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Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly with Fermented Shrimp Paste (Thịt Xao Mắm Ruốc)
Mam Ruoc is Vietnamese fermented shrimp paste, a staple condiment in Southeast Asian cuisines. It can also be effectively used to disperse a crowd.
Mam Ruoc is highly pungent in its raw form and the reason many Asians have outdoor kitchens. It is made from a mixture of ground shrimp and salt that has been left to ferment in the hot sun. lt's a salty condiment that's added to many different dishes and sauces. You wouldn't expect this jar of pungent-smelling ground shrimp to taste any good, but it acts in the same as anchovy paste. A little goes a long way and once cooked with aromatics, the taste is surprisingly well-rounded, bringing tons of umami flavor to a dish.
When I was making Vietnamese Caramelized Pork belly with Mam Ruoc, my kids couldn't stand the smell. They pinched their noses the whole time I was cooking. However, once I was done cooking, the smell subsided and guess who ate all the caramelized pork belly with no complaints? Yep. They ate it all. And they ate it happily.
I have families who live in Sông Đốc, Vietnam, a fishing village. They fish and dry their own food and they make the best homemade mam ruoc. They would occasionally send me mam ruoc through the mail. I am thankful for the awesome delivery but oh, the poor souls at the post office. I am truly sorry.
You don't need to have families in a fishing village in Vietnam to get Mam Ruoc. They are widely available in Asian grocery stores. Just look for the smelly jar labeled shrimp paste or shrimp sauce.
Below is one of my favorite side dishes that uses mam ruoc. It's a quick caramelized salty pork side dish that's best eaten with steamed rice and lots of boiled/fresh vegetables.
Happy stinky eating!
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly with Fermented Shrimp Paste (Thịt Xao Mắm Ruốc)
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly with Fermented Shrimp Paste (Thit Xao Mam Ruoc)
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
- 1-½ lbs pork belly
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (for cleaning)
- ¼ teaspoon thick soy sauce for color (optional)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons minced lemongrass
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fermented shrimp paste
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon minced Thai chili pepper (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon (dash) ground black pepper
Instructions
- Clean the pork belly by vigorously rubbing it down with salt then rinse. Cut the pork belly into pinky size strips, making sure every slice has a bit of skin, fat, and meat.
- n a skillet with a lid, heat vegetable oil on medium-high. Add lemongrass, shallots, and garlic. Stir together and pan fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Stir pork belly into the aromatics and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add sugar, shrimp paste, and water. Reduce heat to low. Cover skillet with a lid and continue to cook for 15 minutes or until pork is tender.
- Remove lid and let the pork slowly simmer until the sauce thickens. Mix in the chili pepper (optional), then top with ground black pepper. Serve with steamed white rice and a plentiful platter of boiled or fresh vegetables for a complete meal.
