Crispy Fried Pork Knuckles with Fish Sauce

Steps

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1. 1
   Prepare 500g of pork leg, preferably with tendons attached for better tenderness after boiling.
   ▶ ≈0:12
2. 2
   Blanch the pork leg in water to clean it and remove the pork smell. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of vinegar; the vinegar whitens the skin.
   ▶ ≈0:18
3. 3
   Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the blanching water and boil for about 2 minutes to remove blood from the bones and marrow.
   ▶ ≈0:25
4. 4
   Thoroughly rinse the pork after blanching and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
   ▶ ≈0:45
5. 5
   In a pot with 1 liter of water, add 20 ml fish sauce, 1 teaspoon lemongrass, 2 chopped shallots, and 0.5 teaspoon lightly crushed black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, cover, and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes until the pork is completely tender.
   ▶ ≈1:01
6. 6
   Remove the cooked pork from the broth and let it drain.
   ▶ ≈1:31
7. 7
   Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing 20 ml fish sauce, 10 g sugar, and 1 g black pepper powder until well combined.
   ▶ ≈1:38
8. 8
   Heat plenty of oil in a pan. Once hot, add the drained pork and cover with a lid. Fry for exactly 3 minutes until the skin becomes crispy and puffy. Keep the lid on to avoid splashing. Stop when the popping sounds cease and all the skin is crispy.
   ▶ ≈1:58
9. 9
   Pick up each piece of fried pork individually and dip it into the fish sauce mixture, allowing it to absorb the sauce evenly, then plate and serve.
   ▶ ≈2:17