Grilled Pork Slices

These addictive grilled pork are perfumed by lemongrass and the addition of caramel sauce to the marinate, imparts deep color and flavor. Honey is a fine substitute that results in a slightly sweeter finish. Serve these on rice or noodles for a satisfying meal.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, well trimmed(about 2 lbs after trimming) and cut across the grain into strips about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and a scant 1/2 inch thick.

MARINATE

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 large shallot, pounded(about 1/3 cup)

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp caramel sauce*

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 stalk lemongrass, grate with a microplane to get 6 tbsps.

1/4 tsp black pepper

Method:

Put the sliced pork inbetween plastic wrap, sprinkle some water and pound the meat slices into thinner slices.

Add the marinate to the pork slices and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Thirty minutes before grilling the pork, remove from the refrigerator.

Grill pork slices, turning once, for about 4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned, a little charred and sizzling.

Serve grilled pork with rice or noodles

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CARAMEL SAUCE

3/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

Use a small, heavy saucepan with a long handle, preferably a stainless steel, so that the changing color can be monitored easier.

Fill the sink with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the saucepan.

Put 1/4 cup of the water and all the sugar in the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. To ensure that the sugar melts evenly, stir with a metal spoon. After about 2 minutes, when the sugar is relatively smooth and opaque, stop stirring and let the mixture cook undisturbed. Small bubbles will form at the edge of the edge of the pan and gradually grow larger and more toward the center. A good 7 minutes into cooking, bubbles will cover the entire surface and the mixture will be a vigorous simmer. As the sugar melts, the mixture will go from opaque to clear.

If a little sugar crystallizes on the sides of the pan, don't worry. After about 15 minutes, the sugar will begin to caramelize and deepen in color. You will be a progression from champagne yellow to light tea to dark tea. When smoke starts rising, around the 20 minutes mark, remove the pan from the heat and slowly swirl it. Watch the sugar closely as it will turn darker by the second, a reddish cast will set in (think the color of a big, bold red wine) as the bubbles became a lovely burnt orange. Pay attention to the color of the caramel underneath the bubbles. When the caramel is the color of black coffee or molasses, place the pan in the sink to stop the cooking. The hot pan bottom will sizzle on contact. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water, the sugar will seize up but later dissolve. After the bubble ceases, return the pan to the stove over medium heat.

Heat the caramel, stirring until it dissolves into the water.

Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes before pouring into a small heatproof glass jar,

Set aside to cool completely before putting the lid on.

Serves