Jumping in….with a pot of Lor Bak (Chinese Soy Braised Pork)

I’m doing it!! I’m finally doing it!! This thing that I’ve been putting off for weeks, months, years (!!) because I was too tired, lazy, scared, clueless. I’m finally doing it. It being starting a blog. This blog. My blog. *tiny yay*

Since I started this blog as a way of taking my cooking more seriously and I started cooking because I missed my grandma’s cooking, it really is only apt that my first post features one of her dishes.

This dish is hearty and rich and will warm you to the core, perfect for the coming cold autumn nights. More importantly,it is ridiculously easy to make and tastes even more ridiculously delicious. 

 

Lor Bak  卤肉 (Chinese Soy Braised Pork)

Adapted from House of Annie

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg fatty pork (neck end)
• 1 head garlic (broken into individual cloves)
• 1 walnut sized piece of ginger
• 2 Tbsp thick soy sauce
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 1 Tbs shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorn
• 2 tsp sugar
• 6 hard boiled eggs, shelled

Optional:

• 1/2 stick cinnamon
• 1/2 star anise
• 2 to 3 cloves

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cut pork into large bite­-sized pieces and dump it into a claypot*.
•  Add the garlic, ginger, thick soy sauce, light soy sauce, wine and peppercorn to pot and cover. If using, this is also where you throw in the cinnamon, star anise and cloves.
• Turn heat on to high and as soon as the pot is hot, turn to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally to coat pork with soy sauce.
• When pork is half done, about 20 mins in, add a bit of water if sauce is getting too dry. (I’ve never had to add any water)
• Add sugar and taste. Add more if you prefer it sweeter.
• Add the eggs. Cover and simmer for another 20 mins or until pork is tender and eggs have taken on the dark colour of the soy sauce.
• Serve with steamed rice

*If you don’t have a claypot, fret not, a regular pot will do just fine.