Ingredients

• 12 pork shanks (3 inches thick)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons/ 45ml canola oil
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and smashed
• 1 (1-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer parts removed and tender inner parts finely chopped
• 2 cups/ 500ml veal stock
• 1 cup/ 250ml milk from a fresh coconut
• 1 cup/ 250ml soy sauce
• 1 cup/ 250ml malt vinegar
• 1 dried ancho chili pepper
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• fried rice, recipe follows, for serving
• 1/4 cup/ 60ml sambal oelek
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 lime, juice of
• 2 tablespoons/ 30ml canola oil
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 4 cups cold cooked basmati rice (1 liter)
• 3 tablespoons/ 45ml soy sauce
• 1 handful fresh chives, chopped
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

2. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet over high heat. Sear the pork on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Add the leeks, garlic, ginger and lemongrass and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the veal stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, vinegar and dried chile. Cover the skillet and cook in the oven until the pork is fork-tender, about 3 hours.

4. Transfer the pork to a platter and sprinkle with scallions. Drizzle with the pan juices. Serve with Fried Rice.

5. Fried Rice:.

6. Pulse the sambal oelek, garlic, shallots and lime juice in a food processor until coarsely pureed.

7. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and saute the celery and leeks for about 2 minutes. Add the sambal mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and soy sauce and saute until well coated and heated through, about 5 minutes.

8. Remove from the heat and stir in the chives, cilantro and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.