I must add a disclaimer when I am sharing this dish. Unless you are a Cantonese, chances are that you will dislike it. Why? Nam Yue – a type of reddish fermented soya bean is an acquired taste. Many Cantonese would have grown up with that taste, as the dish is widely cooked in their kitchens.
According to write-ups in the internet, it is quoted that “Nam Yue are bean paste or blocks that’s fermented in wine, salt, spices and red rice yeast – giving it the beautifully rich red colour. Fermented bean curd, Nam Yue is often used in braised dishes for it’s umami taste and gets infused into tougher cuts of meat that can soak up the delicious flavour.
Thanks to my walking kaki, Felicia who shared with the idea of cooking this dish. So last Sunday, I cooked it as my mother was over for her weekly dinner and that would made two of us eating the dish. My hubby and children turned their nose to the taste of Nam Yue.
At the end of the dinner, my mother and I thoroughly enjoyed the dish. My mother happily packed the remainder to eat later in the week.
Tip#1: You can increase the portion of Nam Yue if you prefer a stronger taste.
Ingredients
300g Pork rib-eye (wash, drain and sliced and marinated with 1 tablespoon Hua Tiao Wine)
240g Lotus root (wash, drain and sliced thinly)
1 tablespoon Nam Yue
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
Method
1)Marinate pork in Hua Tiao Wine for at least 30 minutes.
2)Heat oil in the wok and brown garlic. Next, add Nam Yue and continue frying them till aromatic. Keep fire at medium heat, so that you would not burn the Nam Yue and garlic.
3) When you can smell the aromatics; add the pork and continue to fry for 1 minute. Next add the lotus root slices and continue stir frying for 2-3 minutes.
4) Add sugar followed by water.
5) Let the pork and lotus root simmer in gravy till the former is cooked.
6) Served with white rice.
Magic At Table 