Lu Rou Fan (braised pork rice)

Ingredients:

500g pork belly
1/2 cup garlic
1/2 cup shallots
2 stalk spring onions
1-2 tbs rock sugar
1tsp five spice podwer
1/2 cup shaoxing wine
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2tbs caramelised sugar(糖色) (instructions in 'Comments' section)
1 tbs peanut butter (optional if you prefer more thick texture and robust flavor)
Water just enough to cover the meat

Directions:

§ Sauté garlic and shallots with oil in a pot until slightly brown.
§ Add in ginger and continue frying until fragrant.
§ Add in meat and five spice powder, fry for a bit.
§ Add in caramelised sugar and mix to coat the meat.
§ Mix in mushrooms, eggs, spring onions, Shaoxing wine, soya sauce, rock sugar, peanut butter and enough water to cover all ingredients.
§ Bring to boil and leave to cook under low heat for 1-2 hrs until meat is tender.
§ Add more soya sauce if not salty enough.
§ Fish out spring onions if you don't want to eat them.


Comments:

The caramelised sugar gives the dish a reddish brown colour instead of the normal dark brown colour you see when light/ dark soya sauce is used.

Can use the same amount of oil to 'fry' more sugar. This can be kept for future use.Do not attempt to lick or try the caramelised sugar once removed from heat, the boiling point of oil is very high and will burn you!

The caramelised sugar will start to harden when it cools, so use it straightaway. 

Ingredients:

1-2 tbs white sugar/ rock sugar
1 tbs oil

Directions:

1. Heat up oil under medium heat. Add in sugar and leave it to melt.
2. Reduce to low heat when sugars start to melt. Will be a bit clumpy for rock sugar at first.
3. Keep stirring when sugar is fully melted.
4. Cook until dark brown/ brownish red. At this point, large bubbles will form. Remove from heat.