Suon Nuong (Vietnamese Pork Chops)

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup shallot, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup lemongrass, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons nuoc nam
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb pork chop, pounded thin (cut 1/4 inch thick)
• 6 cups cooked white rice
• nuoc cham sauce, for serving (Vietnamese chili-garlic sauce)

1. Heat 1/2 cup of sugar in a 1-qt heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling pan often, until sugar dissolves and turns to liquid caramel.
2. Remove from heat; add 1/4 cup boiling water. Return pan to heat; cook, swirling pan gently, until caramel dissolves in water.
3. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Transfer to a food processor along with remaining sugar, shallots, lemongrass, oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, pepper, and garlic; puree until smooth.
5. Place pork chops in a 9" x 13" baking dish and pour over puree; cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
6. Heat a 12" cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Working in batches, add chops; cook, turning once, until charred in spots and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with rice and chili-garlic sauce.

sugar, sugar, shallot, peanut oil, soy sauce, nuoc nam, ground black pepper, garlic, pork chop, white rice, cham sauce

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/suon-nuong-vietnamese-pork-chops-475960 (may not work)