Bai Sach Chrouk (បាយសាច់ជ្រូក) — Cambodian Grilled Pork with Rice

• 600 gpork shoulder (sliced 3 mm thick across the grain)
• 120 mlcoconut milk
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tbspoyster sauce
• 25 gpalm sugar (finely grated)
• 4 clovegarlic
• 2 stalklemongrass (tender lower 10 cm only, finely minced)
• 0.5 inchgalangal (peeled and finely grated)
• 2 leafkaffir lime leaves (center ribs removed, finely shredded)
• 1 tspground black pepper
• 1 tbspneutral oil
• 280 gjasmine rice
• 420 mlwater
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 1cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 1carrot (julienned)
• 120 gdaikon (julienned)
• 120 mlrice vinegar
• 40 ggranulated sugar
• 4scallions (thinly sliced)
• 800 mlpork stock
• 0.25 tspground white pepper
• 6 sprigcilantro
• 1lime (cut into 4 wedges)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the quick pickles first so they have time to sharpen and soften. Stir the rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until fully dissolved, then add the cucumber, carrot, and daikon and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the bai sach chrouk marinade by pounding or finely mixing the garlic, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, palm sugar, and black pepper into a rough aromatic paste. Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and oil, then coat the pork slices evenly and marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

3. 3

   Rinse the jasmine rice in three changes of cool water until the water runs mostly clear. Combine the drained rice with 420 ml water and 0.5 tsp salt, bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes before resting off the heat for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   While the rice cooks, prepare the clear broth that is traditionally served alongside the pork and rice. Simmer the pork stock with daikon and the crushed garlic for 12 minutes, then season with fish sauce and white pepper and add the scallions for the final 1 minute.

5. 5

   Make the scallion oil just before grilling so it stays fragrant. Heat the neutral oil to 150°C, pour it over the sliced scallions and salt in a heatproof bowl, and stir carefully as the scallions sizzle and soften.

6. 6

   Heat a charcoal grill or ridged grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate if needed. Grill the pork slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until the edges caramelize and the thickest pieces reach 63°C in the center.

7. 7

   Fluff the rice and divide it among 4 plates, then arrange the grilled pork over or beside the rice. Spoon scallion oil over the top and serve with drained pickles, hot clear broth, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges.