Kai palo: pork belly, eggs and tofu puffs stewed in a five-spice palm sugar broth

Toast cinnamon sticks, star anise, coriander seeds, Sichuan peppercorns and cloves together over medium heat until they darken a little and become very aromatic.

Put the toasted spices and cilantro stems (or roots) into a soup spice bag and close it.

Caramelize the palm sugar on high heat (saute mode on high in an Instant Pot, or stovetop), stirring once it melts to distribute the heat, until an intense caramel color.

Add unsalted pork or chicken stock to stop the caramelizing; the sugar hardens and dissolves in time.

Add soy sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, oyster sauce and black soy sauce for a dark color. Add the spice bag, crushed garlic outside the bag, and ground white pepper.

Bring to a boil. Transfer to the Instant Pot with the remaining stock and a little salt.

Cut the pork belly into large chunks, since it shrinks, and add. Searing the pork first is recommended for extra flavor but not done here.

Stovetop: simmer about two to two and a half hours, until the pork is fork tender, with more stock.

Instant Pot: cook on high pressure 20 minutes and natural release at least 15 minutes before releasing the rest. Check the pork is fork tender.

Meanwhile boil the eggs for eight minutes so the inside is still slightly under.

Add the eggs and simmer on saute mode about eight minutes to finish hard-boiling them in the broth; traditionally they simmer about half an hour and overcook.

Add the tofu puffs, cut in halves or quarters, and simmer about eight more minutes. Remove the spice bag.

Let it sit at least 30 minutes, ideally a day ahead, so the eggs absorb the flavor. Skim excess fat, or chill so it solidifies and remove it.

Taste and adjust with more salt or soy sauce. Serve with rice and plenty of the broth.