Simple recipe for making shrimp paste braised meat, ready in just a few minutes to treat the family on cold winter days.

During the cold days, a bowl of hot and fragrant pork simmered with shrimp paste is a delicious dish that many people love. To ensure hygiene, you can make this dish at home with the following simple recipe.

1. Ingredients for pork simmered with shrimp paste

– Pork (choose finely minced fatty pork or pork shoulder): 500 grams

– Shrimp paste: 5 tablespoons

– Pork fat: 1 small bowl

– Galangal, lemongrass

– Garlic, dried shallots, chili

– Seasonings: Sugar, ground pepper, pork fat or cooking oil

2. Method to make pork simmered with shrimp paste

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

– After buying the pork, wash it thoroughly and cut it into small pieces. Then mince or finely grind the pork.

– Peel the garlic, dried shallots, and wash them clean, then finely chop them.

– Peel the galangal, remove the tough outer layer of lemongrass, wash them clean, and finely chop them.

– Wash the chili peppers, remove the stems, and cut them into small pieces.

Step 2: Mix the ingredients

– Take a large bowl, then add the minced pork, 5 tablespoons of shrimp paste, 50 grams of finely chopped galangal, 5 finely chopped lemongrass stalks, small pieces of chili pepper, 4 large garlic cloves, and 4 finely chopped dried shallots.

– Mix the ingredients well and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Put it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to let the meat rest and absorb the flavors.

Step 3: Simmer the pork with shrimp paste

– Place a pan or a clay pot on the stove and add a little pork fat. Bring it to a boil and sauté the chopped garlic and shallots until fragrant.

– Wait until the garlic and shallots release their aroma, then add the marinated pork and stir-fry over high heat until the meat is firm and no longer stick together.

– Continue stirring to prevent the pork simmered with shrimp paste from clumping. Simmer the meat for about 4 to 5 minutes to let it absorb the shrimp paste and cook evenly.

– Then, remove the lid of the pot and continue stirring for about 30 minutes over low heat until the pork becomes firm and turns into a pleasing reddish-brown color. Add a little pork fat and stir for a few more minutes, then turn off the heat.

– Let the meat cool slightly, then sprinkle a little pork fat on top and enjoy it slowly.

The pork simmered with shrimp paste is made with a very simple method, but when you taste it, you will feel the firmness of the pork combining with the rich flavor of shrimp paste. This dish is best served with hot rice or sticky rice.

3. Notes when making pork simmered with shrimp paste

– Choose shrimp paste that has been well fermented to enhance the flavor of the dish. This type of shrimp paste has turned into a dark brown, dark pink color, and smooth texture. Especially, the liquid part of the shrimp paste has almost separated from the solid part.

– To make the pork simmered with shrimp paste delicious and not dry or too greasy, you should choose fatty pork shoulder or finely minced fatty pork. When mincing or grinding the pork, do not make it too small, as the resulting dish may be crumbly.

– Choose galangal and lemongrass that are firm and not too young because they are not fragrant enough, and also avoid old ones that have too much fiber. Chop or finely grind these ingredients to make the dish more fragrant when simmered.

– If you can’t finish the pork simmered with shrimp paste, you can put it in clean glass jars for storage. When eating, just take a few spoonfuls and reheat it in the microwave or steam it in a rice cooker.