I’ve tried roasting pork loin a couple of times using the oven but the results were just alright. However, homemade char siu didn’t vow me that much until recently…

.. when i experimented char siu making using Happycall Pan.

Probably because i don’t quite know how to control the oven temperature or something perhaps? Hence, mediocre char siu tasting with the oven. My guess is, with Happycall, i am able to control the fire sooooo, tastier char siu for me? *shrugs* Oh, plus the fact that, i can have charred bits however much i like! ;)

Roast Char Siu using Happycall

serves 4

3-4 medium pork loins
1/3 – 1/2 bottle of Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce
2 tbsp oyster/ hoisin sauce
3 cloves garlic, chopped

Method

1. Combine the all the ingredients above, mix well and leave it covered in the fridge overnight.
2. Heat Happycall pan with high heat and palm off the meats into the pan. Turn down the heat to medium. Lock the pan.
3. After 10-15 minutes, depending on the amount of meat you are using, unlock the pan and turn the meats over.
4. Do not lock the pan now.
5. Again, flip the meat over after 5 minutes and using medium high heat, it’s time for charred bits. ;)
6. Now, don’t move away but keep your eyes on the meat. Once the desired stage achieved, switched off the fire and let it to cook in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing away.

For the rice, the recipe can be found right here.

—————————–

Teeheeeheeeee!

I know i know.. Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce?!?!

Really????

Oh well, i can and i will take shortcuts if i want to. :P

To be honest I’ve tried to make char siu sauce from scratch a few times before, but somehow… it just didn’t taste as good as Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce. In fact, I’ve tried a couple of recipes and not just one. Unfortunately, the satisfaction was just not there. What more, the color.. it was never how i fancied it. But with this handy sauce + some oyster + garlic, i is can has homemade char siu that tastes as good as the ones sold outside or even better!

So.

Why not? ;)

Char Siu Rice, anyone?

:)

It was during my last year’s Shanghai trip when da real thang blew me away.

Before that, Dong Po Rou didn’t quite make an impression. In fact, i don’t remember eating any prior to the trip. Because i read so much about Shanghai’s Dong Po Rou, it was a die die must eat dish when we were there. The first time we had it was when the gf’s brother brought us to this fabulous restaurant at a rather hip area for a meal. I did most of the ordering (HEH!).. a few dishes were quite disastrous but gawwwwwddd, the Dong Po Rou totally kicked ass. Like totally, totally. Sweet, sticky, melt in your mouth… it was as though we were observing a moment of silence when we sank our teeth into the meat. It was so good! More on this for my travel post..

It has been a year since the trip — i so missed the girlfriends and all the fun we had! — and this post is dedicated specially to the girlfriends who were there with me through thick and thin. :)

Dong Po Rou 东坡肉 / Braised Pork Belly

serves 2

500g pork belly
1 thumb of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 sprig of scallion, chopped into 3 cm lengths
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2.5 cups lukewarm water
2 cups boiling water
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
peanut oil
1/3 cup shaoxing hua tiao wine
1 tsp cornstarch

Method:

1.  In a wok on medium heat, add peanut oil. Saute scallions, ginger and garlic for 2-3 mins until fragrant.
2. Add sugar and further saute until sugar starts to melt. Add soy sauce, dark soy and wine. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat and add lukewarm water. Set aside.
3. While sauce is coming to a boil, slice pork belly into rectangular portions about 2.5 inch x 4 inch pieces. Place pork belly pieces on a chopping board or a tray and scald them on all sides with boiling water.

4.  Place the pork pieces skin side down in a pan large enough to fit all the pieces together and add the earlier sauce mixture.

5. Bring to boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to a low simmer and braise the pork for 30 mins, covered.
6. After 30 minutes, flip the pork belly pieces over so the skin is shown on top and continue braising covered for a minimum of 3 hours, basting the skin occasionally.
7. When ready, remove pork belly pieces gently and set aside. Strain remaining sauce into a saucepan and bring to a low simmer.
8. Mix cornstarch with 50ml of water and gently pour it into the sauce. Stir well until sauce becomes a shiny, sticky glaze. Turn off heat.
9. To serve, gently place a piece of braised pork belly onto a plate and spoon over the sauce. Serve immediately with warm steamed rice or steamed buns. Enjoy!

this is how you should eat it – further thicken the gravy and dress it up pretty and shiny!

(adapted from here)

————————————————————–

Note : i DOUBLED the recipe. I mean, since i’m already at it, might as well double it right? I cannot imagine braising this for 3 hours for 4-5 pieces of meat. Not worth it in my humble opinion but then, that’s just me. :P

So, how was the porky pork?

WE LOVED IT!

Though i didn’t manage to replicate the sticky sauce which i had in Shanghai, i’m not complaining. The pork was so so soft, and the fats.. of the fats, — no one should ever remove the fats when eating this. period. yeah, screw the cholesterol and whatnots — doesn’t need further elaboration i believe. Grin. This porky dish is insanely good and if you’ve guests who is pork belly crazy, be prepared for the WOW-ed guests. ;)

And yes, we polished off the entire 1kg of pork belly that night if you must know.

from left : chicken eggs, century egg, salted duck egg

*gasp*

Didn’t realize i have so many photos for this entry!

To be honest, this dish is a little new to me. I’ve never had this all my life till recently. However, if you are talking about steamed water egg — 蒸水蛋 — then it’s entirely different story altogether. That my friends, was my childhood food. In fact, it was one of my favourite dishes by my dear mother. And today, it has became my boys’ favourite too (it’s not hard to love this egg dish!).

So where did i learn of this Three Emperor Egg dish?

Not restaurants or online for sure. I actually tried googling but lo and behold, there’s almost zero information available for this egg dish on the internet! Almost unbelievable actually if you were to ask me. I mean, internet supposed to have everything right? No?

Anyway, i remember reading it long, long time ago in the newspaper, a recipe posted by a reader but that was it. It was only recently when i was served this unforgettable spinach with 3 eggs combo dish at a Chinese restaurant and seeing how much i enjoyed it, then i made it a point to try this dish out, based on my mom’s 蒸水蛋 recipe.

i love mine silky and creamy, just like this! BEST!

Three Emperor Egg

(based on my mom’s steamed water egg recipe)

4 eggs, using CP Chilled Eggs*
1 salted duck egg (dice the yolk, save the egg white)
1 century egg, roughly diced
12 x half egg shell water/stock**
1/2 tsp salt, to taste

Left (clockwise) : century egg, chicken egg (beaten), diced century egg and salted duck egg yolk, salted duck egg

Method

1. Beat eggs, salted egg white and water together till well.
2. Stir in diced salted egg yolk and century egg.
3. Add salt.
4. Steam egg over low heat (and i mean really low) in a boiling wok/pot for just 10 minutes or till the surface hardens. But if it’s wobbly, it’s perfectly fine too. However that really depends on personal preference though.
5. Serve immediately.

Optional : feel free to garnish the dish with fried shallots or pepper or soy sauce or sesame oil. for me, i like mine unadulterated. ;)

—————————————————-

This is how i usually serve this dish actually. Steaming in bowls is a little tougher. It gets cooked too quickly!

Verdict : I love this egg dish very, very much. But if you are anything like my boys, who dislike the foul smelling century egg, then you may not like it that much. If that’s the case, skip the century egg! And there is no need to alter anything else in the recipe.

Do give this a try!

A couple of Q & As

• So why do i use the egg shell to measure the water?

It’s because eggs’ sizes vary so, using its own shell is the best way to measure the water that is needed to make the custard smooth.

• Do i strain my eggs to remove bubbles?

Nope. That’s why you could see some bubbles forming at the side. But you could if you want to.

• What’s the secret to silky smooth custard?

The heat. Hence, like i mentioned, use very low heat to steam.

Last but not least, never let the base of your bowl/plate to touch the boiling water during steaming!

All the best to those who would be trying. :)

————-

A little about CP Chilled Eggs

CP Foods solves the problem of cracking up stale eggs with the latest CP Chilled Fresh Eggs. Using innovative technology, the CP Chilled Fresh Eggs are sanitised, oiled and chilled within one hour of being laid to ensure that the supreme freshness from the farms is sealed and kept within the eggs until they hit the cooking pan. The large size eggs contain lesser cholesterol than ordinary eggs, and have a lifespan of up to 90 days!

From December 2010, the CP Chilled Fresh Eggs is available at all Cold Storage, NTUC Finest, Meidiya and Carrefour.

Thank you, Jacqualine from Vibes Communication for the CP Chilled Eggs.