Steamed Pork and Taro

Name: Steamed Pork and Taro
Yield: Makes 4 servings as a main dish or 6 to 8 servings as part of a multicourse meal
Cuisine: Malaysian Hakka
Ingredients: 8 ounces boneless pork belly with skin; 8 ounces boneless pork butt, trimmed of fat, or additional boneless pork belly with skin; 1 pound large taro or russet potatoes; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 or 3 squares red fermented bean curd (about 2 ounces total); 1 cup water; 2 tablespoons minced onion; 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (shaoxing) or dry sherry; 2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon raw sugar or packed brown sugar; 2 or 3 large iceberg lettuce leaves, for garnish; ½ teaspoon five-spice powder

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings as a main dish

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Hakka Cookbook

By Linda Anusasananan

Published 2012

About

Fermented bean curd enriches potato-like taro and succulent pork with a deep umami flavor akin to Japanese miso. Loh uses both pork belly and pork butt in this steamed dish, but many use only the belly. Russet potatoes make a good substitute for the taro in this dish, if taro is unavailable.

Ingredients

Pork and Taro

8 ounces boneless pork belly with skin
8 ounces boneless pork butt, trimmed of fat, or additional boneless pork belly

Asia
Malaysia
China
Side dish
Main course

Method

For the Pork and Taro

Cut the pork belly across the grain into 2-inch-long strips, then lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Cut the pork butt into ¾-inch cubes. Wearing rubber gloves or under running water, peel the taro and cut into slices ½ inch thick, 2 inches long, and 2 inches wide.
Set a