Wash the vegetables thoroughly. Crush the lobster heads and add to 4 cups water (about 1 liter) with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stir well, then strain the broth. Return the broth to the pot, bring to a boil again, season to taste, then add the Malabar spinach. Once it boils, turn off the heat. Using shrimp or lobster heads for the broth gives the soup a beautiful color and a sweet, rich flavor.

Rinse the pork with salt, then cut into cubes. Marinate with 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon seasoning powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, green peppercorns, and 2 thinly sliced shallots. Mix well and let marinate for about 30 minutes. Sauté shallots until fragrant, add the pork, and stir. Simmer over low heat until the liquid is almost gone, the pork is tender, and it turns brown. Adjust seasoning to taste, then turn off the heat.

Finely slice the cabbage and carrot, cut the garlic chives into pieces, and wash well. Dissolve 3 tablespoons sea salt in 4 cups cold water (about 1 liter), then add the vegetables to pickle. Prepare this a day in advance for the best flavor to enjoy with the braised pork.

The meal is complete with these dishes: braised pork with pickled mustard greens, Malabar spinach soup, and pickled eggplant (though I forgot to include the eggplant in the photo! 😜)