2 Delicious Recipes for Shrimp Paste Braised Pork with Lemongrass and Chili - Mytour

A piping hot meal served with flavorful shrimp paste braised pork is the perfect choice for chilly autumn days. This dish can be prepared in 3 different ways, suitable for various regions. Let's explore how to cook it with Mytour.

1. Shrimp Paste Braised Pork - A Homely Dish

Shrimp paste carries the salty taste of the Central Coastal region, not fishy like shrimp paste, but with a captivating aroma. Shrimp paste is not only used for making mango dipping sauce, grilled rice paper but when combined with fatty pork belly along with a bit of spice from chili and lemongrass, it creates an extremely appealing dish. Especially on cold days, this dish will contribute to making the meal warmer. If you're struggling with 'What's for dinner today,' then try this dish right away.

Image: Collected

2. Hue Style Shrimp Paste Braised Pork Recipe

Prepare the Ingredients

• 500g Pork belly
• 200g Shrimp paste
• 4 hot chilies
• 4 lemongrass stalks
• 1 ginger root
• Dried shallots, garlic, fish sauce, soup powder, seasoning powder

Image: Collected

Processing Steps

Step 1: Rinse the pork belly thoroughly and cut it into small bite-sized pieces (thinner than braised pork, about 1-2cm thick). If you don't prefer the skin, you can remove it before slicing. Boil a pot of water with crushed ginger, bring it to a boil, and blanch the meat for about 1 minute to remove any unpleasant smell. Remove the meat and rinse it thoroughly.

Image: Collected

Step 2: Clean and finely chop the onions, garlic, chili, ginger, and lemongrass

Step 3: Marinate the meat with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of soup powder, onions, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and cover tightly for 15 minutes

Step 4: Pour shrimp paste into a bowl, add filtered water and stir to dissolve the sediment at the bottom. Then strain through a sieve to extract the essence

Image: Collected

Step 5: Sauté the chopped onions, garlic until fragrant, then add the pork belly and stir-fry until firm, then add lemongrass, chopped chilies, and mix well

Step 6: When the meat is cooked, add the shrimp paste essence, simmer over low heat to let it absorb into the meat

Step 7: Add a bit of seasoning powder to balance the salty-sweet flavor

Step 8: Simmer until the shrimp paste sauce gradually reduces and blends into the meat, then turn off the heat and add finely chopped ginger. Transfer the meat onto a plate and present it beautifully

Photo: @sosimyum

• Explore more: How to cook delicious coconut water braised pork intestines

3. Recipe for shrimp paste braised pork - Southern and Western style

The shrimp paste braised pork in Southern and Western style often tastes sweeter and less salty than the Hue style. Therefore, in this recipe, people from the South often use sugar instead of MSG or seasoning powder.

Prepare the ingredients

• 500g Pork belly
• 200g Shrimp paste
• 2 hot chilies
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• 1 bunch of scallions, garlic, dried shallots
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

Photo: Collection

Processing steps

Step 1: Wash the pork belly thoroughly, cut it into small pieces, blanch in boiling water, then marinate with fish sauce, sugar, chopped onions, garlic for 15 minutes

Step 2: Dissolve the shrimp paste residue with filtered water, let it settle and strain to collect the sauce

Step 3: Finely chop garlic, onions, chilies, lemongrass. Cut the scallions finely

Step 4: Sauté the garlic and onions until fragrant, add the meat and stir-fry until slightly browned, then add the shrimp paste and simmer over low heat

Step 5: When the fish sauce boils, add a bit of sugar, finely chopped chilies, and delicious fish sauce. Simmer until the fish sauce thickens and coats the meat, then turn off the heat, sprinkle chopped scallions on top

So the shrimp paste braised pork dish is complete. Just scoop it onto a plate and garnish with cucumbers, cilantro to make the dish even more visually appealing.

Photo: Collection

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4. Finished Product

A delicious shrimp paste braised pork dish often has a beautiful amber color, translucent fat, and infused flavors. Lemongrass, chilies, and ginger cling to the meat, while the shrimp paste is rich and flavorful.

The dish carries the distinctive aroma of shrimp paste, blending with the rich fatty taste of the pork, and the fragrant spiciness of lemongrass and chilies, making it extremely enticing.

You can enjoy it with cucumber, sliced green bananas, or green star fruit for a tangy taste. Alternatively, it pairs perfectly with hot rice, noodles, soup, or boiled vegetables. This dish will surely delight every member of your family.

Photo: @hotieuvy92

5. Tips to Make Shrimp Paste Braised Pork Even More Delicious

To make shrimp paste braised pork even more delicious, it's best to use pork belly to prevent it from becoming too dry after cooking. Pork belly also complements shrimp paste better than other cuts of meat.

• When boiling or blanching the meat, it's advisable to add ginger or cooking wine to eliminate any unpleasant odor more effectively
• Avoid slicing the meat too thick as it may hinder the absorption of seasoning
• Choosing authentic Hue-style shrimp paste will result in a more flavorful dish compared to other types of shrimp paste

Here are 2 recipes for shrimp paste braised pork Hue-style and Southern-style. Hopefully, these dishes will make it easier for you to diversify your family's menu. Follow Mytour Blog for quick updates on new cooking recipes.

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• How to Cook Coca-Cola Braised Pork Feet
• How to Make Pickled Sweet and Sour Pig Ears