Ingredients

• 12 pork shanks (3 inches thick)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons/45ml canola oil
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and smashed
• One 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 chile pepper
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• Fried Rice, recipe follows, for serving
• 1/4 cup/60ml sambal oelek
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 shallot, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 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
• A handful fresh chives, chopped
• A handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• A handful fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and 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. Pulse the sambal oelek, garlic, shallots and lime juice in a food processor until coarsely pureed. 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. Remove from the heat and stir in the chives, cilantro and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.