Caramel Pork and Eggs

I have been trying to make more Asian recipes for my family, so my daughter can experience the foods I ate growing up. This dish was one of my favorites. My mom never measures when she cooks so its hard to obtain her recipes. Even if I watch her cook, I can never quite get the flavors right. This recipe was a combination of several different recipes I skimmed through online and in cook books. I adapted it for the Instant Pot and it turned out fantastic! My daughter loved it and wanted seconds!

For the Hard Boiled Eggs:

12 eggs

2 cups of water

1. Make the eggs. Place trivet into IP. Add eggs and 2 cups of COLD water. Manual Pressure for 4 minutes. Natural Release for 5 Minutes, then QR. Place eggs in ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel and have eggs ready. (4-5-5 method)

For caramel sauce: *

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp water

1/4 cup fish sauce (three crabs brand)

3 cups coconut water (not milk) or water

3 lbs of pork shoulder– cut into large 4 – 5 inch chunks. **

6 green onions cut into 3 inch strips/smashed.

1 ½ inch nob of ginger peeled and crushed

6 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed

6 star anise (whole stars)

2-4 dried red Chinese chilies ( I used 2)

½ tsp five spice powder

1 cup of cold water

2. *Make the sauce in a regular sauce pan. Combine sugar and water, cook on medium. Let bubble and stir occasionally until sauce turns light medium brown. Turn off heat, slowly add fish sauce and coconut water. (Be careful, it will splash, sizzle and hardened the sugar). Turn heat back onto medium high, stir until all sugar is melted and sauce is incorporated.

3. Pour the caramel sauce/liquid into the instant pot. Place pork into the sauce and try to coat the meat as much as possible. Add the rest of ingredients into instant pot. Manual Pressure for 45 minutes. Natural release for 10 (or more minutes.) Then quick release.

4. Open lid, turn on sauté mode, add peeled eggs. Cook for additional 5 minutes (longer if you want thicker sauce).

5. Skim fat from top of sauce and remove star anise before serving.

*I attempted to make the caramel sauce in the instant pot and it did not work well. It basically just scorched the pan, and never caramelized. I had to scrap it and start over.

** Pork Shanks, or Pork belly can be used, but IP cook time will need to be adjusted. I haven't tried using these cuts yet, so I do not have a suggested time.