Clay Pot Pork

⅓ cup sugar
¾ cup chicken stock, more if necessary
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 small fresh chili, minced optional
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias, green and white parts separated
1 ½ pound boneless pork shoulder or pork belly cut into 1-inch cubes
Steamed white rice for serving

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
  528 calories; 31 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 32 grams protein; 122 milligrams cholesterol; 1242 milligrams sodium

4 servings

Put the sugar in a medium-size heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat, shaking gently every once in a while, until it starts to melt. Start stirring with a fork and continue, crushing clumps of sugar so that the sugar melts evenly. When the sugar is liquid, continue to cook for another minute or so until it darkens, then remove from heat.
Combine the chicken stock and fish sauce and carefully add at arm’s length to the sugar (it will splutter and pop). Turn heat to medium high, return sugar mixture to the heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until well combined. (If the sugar clumps when you add the liquid, don’t worry, it will melt again.)
Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, pepper, chili if using, and the white portion of the scallions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are nicely softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add pork to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, partly cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of stock or water if the pan looks too dry, until the pork is very tender and the liquid has reduced to a medium-thick sauce, about 1 hour.
Remove from heat, add the green part of the scallions, and serve over steamed white rice.

1 hour 15 minutes