Hakka Kao Yuk

This is a traditional Hakka dish. The Hakkas are one of the indigenous people of China (there are more than 1000 different dialects spoken in China). This dish is cooked three times before it reaches the dining table: boiled, fried and steamed. The key ingredient of this dish that's found in the sauce is the 'Nam Yee' which is made from fermented taro or yam cubes, rice wine and ground red rice.

HAKKA KAO YUK

(STEAMED BELLY PORK WITH TARO)

1.5 kg belly pork with skin

800g taro root

1 tbsp light soya sauce

2 squares 'Nam Yee' with 3 tbsp sauce liquid

2 tbsp thick soya sauce

2 tbsp light soya sauce

4 tbsp sugar

1/2 tspn 5-spice powder

4 tbsp minced garlic and shallots

1/2 cup water

1 cup oil for frying

spring onions and coriander for garnishing

1. Wash and remove any hair from the pork's skin.
2. Bring a pan of water to boil and boil pork for about 15-20 minutes in simmering water.
3. Remove and pat dry with paper towels. Coat pork with the 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce.
4. Peel and halve taro length-wise. Slice taro into 1cm thickness.
5. Heat up 1 cup oil in wok. Fry taro pieces until lightly browned. Remove and leave aside.
6. With the remaining oil, fry the pork and brown on all sides and skin began to blister.
7. Remove and soak fried pork in cold water.
8. In a small mixing bowl, combine 'Nam Yee' , dark and light soya sauce, 3-spice powder and sugar with the 1/2 cup water together.
9. Leave about 3 tablespoon oil in the wok and reheat. Fry the minced garlic and shallots until lightly browned.
10. Add in combined sauce ingredients and bring to boil and let simmer for a while or until sugar has dissolved. Let sauce thicken a little and sauce began to bubble and looks glossy.
11. Dish out and leave aside.
12. Slice pork pieces into 1cm thickness and 2" wide. Coat pork pieces with half the sauce.
13. In a heatproof dish, arrange pork pieces alternating with taro pieces, with the pork skin and rounded sides of taro faced down.
14. When finished, pour all remaining sauce into the arrangement.
15. Prepare steamer and steam the dish for about 1 hour or until pork is soft and tender.
16. To serve, turn over onto a serving plate and garnish with shredded spring onions and fresh coriander leaves.