Thai-style Braised Pork Belly w/ Boiled Eggs: Tom Palo
Tom Palo is one of those dishes that feels like home in Thailand. Pork belly and hard-boiled eggs are gently simmered in a warm, aromatic broth scented with five-spice, garlic, and sweet soy sauce. The flavors are rich and comforting — a little sweet, a little savory — and perfect for spooning over hot jasmine rice.
Ingredients
- 300 g pork belly cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 hard-boiled eggs peeled
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 3 tbsp palm sugar
- 950 ml water
- 1 piece pork stock cube or 1 tsp pork seasoning powder
- 3 tbsp sweet dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
Instructions
- Cut pork belly into bite-sized pieces. Marinate the pork belly with the pork seasoning powder (or crumble in the stock cube) and 1 tablespoon of sweet dark soy sauce. Let it rest for about 10–15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the marinated pork belly and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the liquid evaporates and the meat turns dark and fragrant. Set aside.
- In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the crushed garlic, followed by the cooked pork belly, five-spice powder, palm sugar, light soy sauce, and the remaining sweet dark soy sauce. Stir to combine.
- Gently add the hard-boiled eggs. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface for a clear broth, until the pork is tender and infused with flavor.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning to achieve a balanced salty-sweet flavor. Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
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