My dad famous Hakka steamed pork belly with taro yam

This is most probably one of the famous Hakka dish in the world ! Everybody will agreed with me nobody will enjoy cooking it but except me ! Because it takes almost 6 hours from start to finish !

1st hour. To source the food then spend two hours to prepare the dish and 2 and half hours to steam then final half and hour to finish off the dish !

From a tender age , I was told by my dad how he used to cook this dish that everyone in the village envy about his skill and you cannot buy anywhere buy cooked by him ! U

Indeed I found out as I was growing up , travel the world and savor everywhere I go ! Dad was the real connoisseur for this dish ! 

My dad very proud of his recipe from his home town Raub in Pahang. He never wanna cook anymore these day because he said is too troublesome and he rather let me cook it ! 

My dad always very proud to say the best durian are from Raub and best wanton noodles also from Raub ! Nevertheless the pork belly with taro tam really inspired us all ! 

We are seldom cook this dish because of the preparation is rather complicated, is from boil , deep fried , then steam ! 

I remembered very well we used to goes to the wet market in Pudu , Kuala Lumpur downtown to find the perfect piece of thick pork belly that must have the three layer lean pork and three fat layer in between that we so called the ideal pork belly .

Our family treasure recipe is unveils because I would like this to be pass on to our next Hakka generation to enjoy and not be forgotten ! 

You will need 

2kg pork belly ( thickest part of the belly - ideally get it from the butchery ) 

1kg Thai yam

200gm red date pitted 

50gm of dried soles fish ( ground)

100gm of rock sugar candy crushed 

100gm shallot

15gm coriander root

4 pieces red preserved bean curd with liquid of 50ml

75ml of Rose wine

75ml light soy preferred kikkoman low sodium 

30gm five spice powder

50ml ketcap manis

15gm white pepper powder 

15ml sesame oil 

500ml cooking oil

Methods 

Pork belly

1) cut pork belly to a block of 10cm  x 5cm 

2 )  bring water to boil , cook the pork belly for about 20 minute 

3) when cool use a fork to spike all over the pork 

Then marinate with ketcap manis , five spice powder , pepper and sesame oil

4) heat wok with oil deep fry the pork belly for 20minutes

5 )set aside when cool sliver each block into 4 slice.

Taro yam 

1) Peel the skin off then cut the yam half then slice it across into 1cm thick 

2) deep fry until is golden brown .

Marinade mixture 

1) chopped the shallot , coriander root and red date finely, heat the oil in wok stir fry until is fragrant then add the red bean curd , soy , rose wine , dried soles fish , and rock candy 

2) season with white pepper powder , five spice powder and sesame oil ! 

Preparation 

1) Combine the sliced yam and slice pork in a mixing bowl , fold thorugh the marinade mixture Ca

Carefully without breaking the yam taro apart.

2) Arrange one slice of yam and pork belly in the Chinese ceramic bowl ( I always preferred to used the cock bowl which I grew up with it since I was a little boy in the village ) amazingly I can still see these around the world wherever I go .

3) Always ensure the skin side down facing the bottom of the bowl so when the pork is fully cooked it will turn the bowl it dies show the nice glossy part of the skin.

3 ) once all the pork and yam is finish mould in the bowl allow all the remaining marinate pour into each bowl .

4 ) Put all the bowls in the steamer , steam on high for at least 2 and half hours until the pork is tender! 

5)  when served turn the bowl upside down keep all liquid from the bowl thicken with little starch mixture to create some glossy light gravy ! 

6) Drizzle some shadowing wine and sesame oil when served !