This sweet and savory dish with deep flavors from rich caramel, fish sauce, garlic and shallots cooks up to perfection in a slow cooker and goes beautifully with rice.
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/3 cup Asian fish sauce, preferably Vietnamese
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally, white and green parts kept separate
1 pound trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
For serving
cooked rice
Cook sugar in a dry 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until sugar has melted into a deep golden caramel.
Carefully add stock and fish sauce (caramel will harden and steam vigorously) and cook, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Add shallots, garlic, and white part of scallions and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
Toss pork with pepper in the slow cooker and stir in the sauce. Cover and cook on low until very tender, 6-8 hours.
Stir in scallion greens and serve with rice.
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