Pig trotters are braised in Nyonya-style aromatic and umami-rich sauce is one of Nyonya/Peranakan popular dishes you can easily make at home using a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or on the stove.
I know it’s not the most glamorous title out there, pig trotter/pig feet? For some folks, this may not sound like something people would eat 🙂 This is actually one of my favorite foods LOL! I made it on a monthly basis. It’s rich in collagen 😉 But I’m not eating it for that reason. It’s simply because I love it.
There are so many different versions of braised pig trotter out there. Everyone seems to have his own variation. Some Nyonya-style braised pig trotter is made slightly spicy, some use slightly different spices and seasonings. But one thing in common is that they are very commonly braised for long hours until they are tender and usually soy sauce and dark soy sauce are involved to lend the brown color. Though, some braised pig trotter is made by caramelizing sugar to get that brown color too.
How to cook Nyonya braised pig trotter
It helps a lot if you have a pressure cooker or slow cooker to cook pig trotter. I usually use an electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot.
1. Put shallots and garlic in a food processor and process into a paste
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the trotters and hocks and boil for about 5 minutes. You will see some scums rising. Discard those
3. Drain off all the water and rinse the trotters and hocks with clean water to get rid of scums
4. Mix seedless tamarind blocks with 400 ml of warm water to soften
5. I use Instant Pot pressure cooker to make this dish. Press saute. When it’s hot, add the cooking oil and the paste you grind earlier. Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes or so
6. Add pig trotter, tamarind juice and the rest of the seasonings
7. Top up with more water to just barely cover everything. Stir to combine everything
8. Close the lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Set the timer to 30 minutes and then let the pressure release naturally after that. If you want really tender trotters, you can set it to 40 minutes. It’s really a personal preference I think. Carefully unlock the lid and then stir in the bamboo shoots and cook for another 15 minutes or until they are soft. Have a taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. It should be savory, sweet, with a hint of tartness, just a hint!
Now you can see why I don’t mind cooking this on a monthly basis because it’s pretty much a set-and-forget thing when you use a pressure cooker or a slow cooker
We usually eat this with plain rice, but tt tastes great to serve this with rice noodles (bee hoon) or any noodles of your choice. My kids love the gravy.
Did you make this Nyonya braised pig trotter recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
Nyonya Braised Pig Trotter
Ingredients
- 1 kg pig trotter
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 200 gr canned bamboo shoots (sliced) optional
- 2 inches block of seedless tamarind paste
- 400 ml warm water
Ingredients to grind:
- 100 gr shallots
- 20 gr garlic
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 2 Tbsp coriander powder
- 1 Tbsp tau cheo
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar or more to taste
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Have the butcher to cut the trotters and hocks into smaller pieces if possible. The trotters I bought are usually pre-cut
- Put shallots and garlic in a food processor and process into a paste
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the trotters and hocks and boil for about 5 minutes. You will see some scums rising. Discard those. Drain off all the water and rinse the trotters and hocks with clean water to get rid of scums
- Mix seedless tamarind blocks with 400 ml of warm water to soften
If cooking on the stove:
- Use a large heavy-bottom pot or wok.When it's hot, add the cooking oil and the paste you grind earlier. Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes or so. Add the pig trotter, tamarind juice and the rest of the seasonings. Top up with more water to just barely cover everything. Stir to combine everything
- Bring to a boil and the lower the heat and cover to let them simmer for 2 hours or longer until the trotters are tender (but not falling apart). 20 minutes before end of cooking time, stir in the bamboo shoots and cook until they are tender
- Have a taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. It should be savory, sweet, with a hint of tartness, just a hint!
If cooking with Instant Pot pressure cooker:
- If using Instant Pot pressure cooker, press saute. When it's hot, add the cooking oil and the paste you grind earlier. Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes or so. Add the pig trotter, tamarind juice and the rest of the seasonings. Stir to combine everything. Top up with more water to just barely cover everything
- Close the lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Set the timer to 30 minutes and then let the pressure release naturally after that. If you want a really tender trotters, you can set it to 40 minutes. It's really a personal preference I think
- Carefully unlock the lid and then stir in the bamboo shoots and cook for another 15 minutes or until they are soft. Have a taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. It should be savory, sweet, with a hint of tartness, just a hint!
If cooking with a slow cooker:
- Preheat a skillet. Add cooking oil and saute the paste you grind earlier until aromatic. Transfer this to a slow cooker. Add the pig trotter, tamarind juice and the rest of the seasonings. Stir to combine everything. Top up with more water to just barely cover everything
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until tender (according to your preference). Stir in the bamboo shoots the last 20 minutes of cooking. Have a taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. It should be savory, sweet, with a hint of tartness, just a hint!
