Name: Caramel-Glazed Pork
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 600 g ofpork loin (boneless, or pork breast); 1 pod ofgarlic; 2 cm offresh ginger; 2 tbsp ofpeanut oil (or another oil suitable for cooking); 8 pods ofgarlic; 5 tbsp ofgranulated sugar; 1 heaping tbsp ofsoy sauce; 4 tbsp ofnuoc-mâm sauce; pepper; fresh cilantro (or Thai chives); 240 g ofBasmati rice; chef's knife; sauté pan

main courses lunar new year pan-frying prepared in advance sweet and savory traditional cuisine

Updated on 22 February 2026 by

ratatouille

7 reviews 4.74 : Very good

Cuisine

Vietnam

Level

Easy

Preparation

15 minutes

Cooking

15 minutes

Here is my recipe for caramelized pork stir-fry. Caramelized pork, or thịt kho, is one of the most famous dishes in Vietnamese cuisine, right after pho and spring rolls.

My dad used to buy this dish regularly from the Asian deli, and we’d enjoy it as a family on Saturday nights!

So I wanted to recapture that childhood joy, and after trying it myself, I’m going to show you that it’s actually quite simple to make at home!

This recipe has the advantage of being quick to cook, since I cut the pork into thin slices. I then brown it and finish by braising it.

The only pitfalls to avoid are overcooking the meat and messing up the caramel, but that’s unlikely with the tips I’ve included in the recipe.

Finally, to make a complete meal, you’ll of course want to serve this caramelized pork with rice.

I recommend basmati rice, which is typical of Asian dishes.

I hope you’ll give this caramelized pork stir-fry recipe a try too.

Enjoy, and thank you in advance for your comments!

For

people

Add to shopping list

For pork
600 g of pork loin boneless, or pork breast
1 pod of garlic
2 cm of fresh ginger
2 tbsp of peanut oil or another oil suitable for cooking
8 pods of garlic
5 tbsp of granulated sugar
1 heaping tbsp of soy sauce
4 tbsp of nuoc-mâm sauce
pepper
fresh cilantro or Thai chives

For support
240 g of Basmati rice

Kitchen utensils
chef's knife
sauté pan

Preparing the rice
- 1
  Cook the basmati rice as instructed on the cooking times page.
Preparing the pork
- 2
  Cut the pork into strips about 1/2 inch thick.
- 3
  Crush the garlic cloves to peel them, then remove the germ. Chop them into small pieces.
- 4
  Peel the ginger and cut it into thin strips.
- 5
  Mix the pork with the garlic and ginger. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the pork.
- 6
  Brown the pork in very hot oil for about 5 minutes. Remove it as soon as it starts to brown, and before the garlic and ginger burn.
  Don’t worry, the pork will continue to cook in the next steps of this recipe.
  
  The Chef's Tip
  To succeed in this step, your oil must be very hot, but not smoking. Refer to the article Heating Cooking Oil: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cool! if you’re unsure how to do this.
- 7
  Keep the heat fairly high. Add
  the sugar to the empty pan and swirl it around a few times to coat it with the pork’s cooking juices.
  Then push it to the center of the pan and let it melt.
  You’ll see—the sugar should melt and spread across the pan.
- 8
  Add the soy sauce and nuoc mâm sauce to the hot caramel. Be careful of caramel splatters—they could burn you.
  As soon as you’ve added the sauces, turn off the heat and mix well with the caramel using a wooden spatula.
- 9
  Add the meat and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat, covered.

Notes

If you want a dish with a richer, creamier sauce, you can add half a liter of chicken broth and a teaspoon of cornstarch at the same time you add the nuoc-mâm and soy sauce. Let it simmer over low heat, uncovered.