Mother-in-law forced us to cook a whole pig, then chased me away. Why did she treat me like this?

Ingredients

• 1 whole Whole Pig (cleaned, hair removed, cut into large pieces)
• 10 liters Water (for boiling the pork)
• 4 large Banana Leaves (washed, cut to size, used for wrapping pork)
• 2 tablespoons Salt (to season the boiling water)
• 1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns (crushed)
• 3 tablespoons Fish Sauce (adds umami to the broth)
• 5 cloves Garlic (peeled and smashed)
• 2 inch Ginger (sliced)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pig

   Using a clean butcher's knife and cutting board, remove any remaining hair, rinse the pig pieces, and cut the meat into large, bite‑size chunks suitable for boiling.

   Time: PT30M

2. Wash and Cut Banana Leaves

   Rinse the banana leaves under running water, pat dry, and cut them into rectangles large enough to wrap each pork piece.

   Time: PT15M

3. Prepare the Aromatic Broth

   Place the large stockpot on the stove, add 10 L of water, salt, crushed peppercorns, fish sauce, smashed garlic, and sliced ginger. Bring to a rolling boil.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 100°C

4. Boil the Pork

   Add the pork pieces to the boiling broth, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook until the meat is fork‑tender, about 2 hours.

   Time: PT2H

   Temperature: 90°C

5. Wrap Pork in Banana Leaves

   Using tongs, remove the pork pieces, let them cool for a few minutes, then place each piece on a banana leaf rectangle and fold the leaf to enclose the meat.

   Time: PT10M

6. Steam Wrapped Pork

   Return the wrapped pork to the pot, add a little extra water if needed, cover, and steam for 15 minutes so the banana leaf flavor infuses the meat.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 100°C

7. Serve

   Transfer the banana‑leaf‑wrapped pork to a serving platter and serve hot, optionally with steamed rice or fresh herbs.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

520

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

5 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

0 g