East-Meets-West Best: Kyoto Sloppy Joe

• 1 pound shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 quarts vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko
• 12 Hawaiian buns (any type of slider bun will do)
• sharp cheddar cheese (as much as your heart desires), sliced
• 3 pounds ground pork
• 2 tablespoons Chinese fermented bean paste (Lee Kum brand or other)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 can Coca-Cola
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• thinly sliced radish and scallion, to garnish

1. In a heavy sauce pot, place vegetable oil and sliced shallots at room temperature.
2. This is very important, if the shallots are placed into hot oil they will easily burn.
3. Place onto stove and cook over medium heat.
4. Allow the oil and shallots to slowly heat up until the oil starts bubbling, this takes quite some time, but you need to keep your eye on it.
5. Once the oil bubbles, take a wooden spoon and keep the shallots in motion.
6. Once the shallots turn golden brown, immediately remove and place into a large bowl lined with paper towel.
7. It is normal for the shallots to turn a shade darker, even out of the oil.
8. Set aside.
9. In a large heavy sauce pot, brown the pork.
10. When the pork is about half-cooked and most of the moisture has rendered out of the meat leaving you with a good amount of natural juices, add the bean paste, soy sauce, sugar and Coca-Cola.
11. When all the ingredients have been incorporated, turn the heat to low and allow the sauce to reduce by 15-20%, about 20 to 25 minutes.
12. Once the sauce has reduced, add in all of the crispy shallots you cooked the day before.
13. The shallots will absorb any leftover liquid from the sauce.
14. Your sauce is done!
15. In another sauce pot, melt the butter and add the panko bread crumbs.
16. Stir until the bread crumbs have turned golden brown.
17. Toast your slider bun with a piece of cheddar cheese.
18. Top with pork sauce and panko and serve.

shallots, vegetable oil, butter, buns, cheddar cheese, ground pork, bean paste, soy sauce, sugar, cocacola, soy sauce, scallion

Taken from www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/east-meets-west-best-kyoto-sloppy-joe-recipe/ (may not work)