Braised Pork Trotters with Vinegar (Ju Kiok Chou)

Yup, here's the long-awaited dish; one of the legendary dish that Ah Po makes. I don't personally feel it is one of my personal favorite dish, perhaps because of the vinegar. But, this dish has been again and again requested and demanded by friends and families who visit Ah Po. Case in point, my high school friends who visit Ah Po during Chinese New Years, while I'm not in the home country, would ask for Ah Po to make Ju Kiok Chou for them. And Ah Po is always so happy when she get requests like that; happy that people are visiting her and happier that people are enjoying the meal she makes. I can't say enough how kind, generous, and loving of a person she is! She would get excited upon hearing such news and strategically planning on her groceries shopping. Rumor has it that she use "special" vinegars that she used to get from Perak, a neighbouring state, or later on as age and distance becomes her nemesis, she would get the vinegars from our old neighbourhood, Jalan Meru, I think.

As I was chopping the pork trotters into smaller pieces, I thought to myself... right, this is why I don't eat this dish. (And the reason why I added lean meat to my dish!) By the way, those are some stubborn bones and fat that are not very chop-friendly. Then, after several hours of simmering, I took my first slurp of the broth and then believes how this dish is a favorite of so many souls. And yes, I finally ate (possibly) my very first pork trotters.

My personal experience of making Ju Kiok Chou did quite mark a significant day in my life; the pressure was absolutely high. Primarily because this is Ah Po's signature dish and also the fact that I know mine will not turn out to be like hers (I don't need food expert to tell me that). More regretfully, I don't know her methods for making this dish. It was truly a bittersweet day as I finally cook the Ju Kiok Chou but it was not Ah Po's Ju Kiok Chou.

PS: Friends, this is dish #75!

Braised Pork Trotters with Vinegar (Ju Kiok Chou)
2 pork trotters
4 tbsp of sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs of old ginger, skinned and smashed
3 bowls of sweetened black rice vinegar
2 bowls of sour black rice vinegar
6 - 8 dried chillies (optional, use if young ginger is used instead of old ginger)
Brown/palm sugar to taste
3 - 5 bowls of water, or enough to completely cover the meat
5 hard boiled eggs

Clean and pluck off the hair from the pork trotters. Cut into big serving pieces.
In a wok, heat the sesame oil. Fry the ginger until it's golden brown and fragrant.
Add pork trotters pieces and stir fry until they are slightly cooked. While frying, you'll notice water draining out from the meat.
Place the ginger and pork trotters into a big pot. Add the sweetened and sour rice vinegar, and water. Bring it to boil and let simmer in low heat for 2 - 3 hours or until ginger and pork trotters are soft.  If dried chillies are used, add it in as well.
When pork trotters are ready, add brown/palm sugar to taste and cook till the sugar dissolved.
Add the hard boiled eggs 1/2 hour before serving.
Serve with warm white rice.