Pork offal stew is a delicious, rustic dish beloved by many. A plate of offal dipped in fish sauce with a bit of spicy chili or a bowl of shrimp paste is truly exquisite. While pork offal stew may seem simple to make, not everyone knows how to prepare it just right. Some end up with a dish that’s smelly and chewy, while others manage to create a dish that’s perfectly white, crispy, and fragrant. So, what’s the secret?
Choose fresh offal
Selecting high-quality, fresh offal is the most important step in creating a delicious dish. Fresh offal has a natural pinkish-white color, evenly taut tubes, and is free of slime or strange odors. When gently pressed, fresh offal should have good elasticity. Avoid offal with abnormal colors like dark purple or black, as the bile within may be bitter.
In addition to pork intestines, you can also buy stomach, liver, stuffed intestine, or heart to boil together. This will create an extremely attractive assorted offal dish.
Preparation of offal
This step is crucial to ensuring your offal doesn’t end up smelling unpleasant. Here are some recommended methods:
Turn the offal inside out: Use your hands or chopsticks to turn the inside of the offal out, ensuring that any residual dirt is removed.
Use salt, lemon or vinegar: Rub these ingredients thoroughly into the offal two or three times, then rinse with clean water.
Rinse offal with warm water: Use warm water (around 40–50°C) to rinse the offal after preparation. Avoid using boiling water as it will cause the offal to shrink and become chewy.
Use white liquor and ginger: Alternatively, you can soak the offal for about 5 minutes in water mixed with white liquor and a few crushed slices of ginger to effectively eliminate any unpleasant odors.
Some chefs recommend soaking the offal in ice-cold water for a few minutes after cleaning to make it firmer. This will result in crispier offal when boiled.
Boiling the offal correctly
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, adding crushed ginger, lemongrass, and a splash of white liquor. Once the water is vigorously boiling, quickly add the offal.
Pay close attention to the boiling time if you want crispy offal. For pork intestines, the ideal boiling time is 5-7 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they puff up, and the surface looks slightly taut and white. Overboiling will make the offal chewy and tough.
If you’re including stomach, boil it for about 20 minutes. For liver and heart, 10-20 minutes is sufficient to ensure doneness.
Leave the lid off the pot when boiling offal. This helps eliminate odors, keeping the broth clear and preventing cloudiness.
Prepare a bowl of ice-cold water. As soon as you remove the offal from the pot, plunge it into the ice water. This shock treatment will make the offal turn white and crispy again.
Pork offal stew is best enjoyed with shrimp paste mixed with lemon, chili, sugar, and hot oil, or with pepper salt and lemon, depending on your preference. You can also serve it with basil, pickled vegetables, or fresh herbs to enhance the flavor. This dish is perfect for a casual dinner or a drinking session with friends.
