Red Fermented Bean Curd/Lam Yee Char Siew

Everytime i cook with red fermented bean curd/lam yee, i was asked, what is it?  First we must know what the original Fermented bean curd also called sufu, fermented tofu, tofu cheese, or preserved tofu/cantonese fu yee/腐乳 is?.  It is a form of processed, preserved tofu,  the ingredients  typically are soybeans, salt, rice wine and sesame oil or vinegar.   Red fermented bean curd/南乳(Cantonese - Lam Yee)(Chinese  紅腐乳/南乳 pinyin hongfuru/nanru), is fermented bean curd incorporated with red yeast rice for a deep-red color.   Now that we know what they are and what ingredients are used to make these 2 types of fermented bean curd, do you know that these humble cubes can impart distinctively thickened flavor and aroma to any dish cooked with them?. 


I have been making Char Siew following this easy recipe and everyone who followed this recipe gave a very good review, but i am always game to try something new.  I was intrigued with this new recipe as EGGS are used together with Lam Yee in the marinate, I had to give this recipe a try.  The Char Siew was so well flavored, full aroma of Lam Yee and the sauce so thickened - must be the presence of the egg.  I had to share with all of you.

 Ingredients:

3 lbs shoulder pork(marbled with fat)

3 - 4 shallots

6 - 8 cloves garlic

6 tbsp sugar

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp chicken powder(optional)

2 tsp sesame paste

1 1/2 pieces Lam Yee/red fermented bean curd

1 tbsp light soya sauce

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp 5 spice powder

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

2 tbsp Rose Wine

Glaze:

1 lb maltose
4 tbsp water
2 ozs rock sugar
Few slices of ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Cut shoulder pork into strips and make shallow cuts on the strips so that there is more surface for the marinate.

Pound the shallots and garlic or alternatively grate the ginger and pass the garlic through the garlic press,mix these with the rest of the ingredients and marinate pork strips - the longer the better(leave in the fridge while marinating, turning the pork strips now and then)

Heat oven to 375f and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and put a greased cooling cake rack on top.

Bake the marinated pork strips until cooked through, turning once (cooking time depends on how thick the pork strips are - 15 mins on one side should be fine)

While the pork strips are being cooked, make the glaze.  Fill a large skillet with 1 inch water and bring to the boil, put in the container of maltose, a bowl filled with the rock sugar, water, ginger slices and salt, cover the skillet and cook until both the maltose and rock sugar have melted.  Mix these 2 together.

When the pork strips are cooked, glaze them and then broil/grill to char them further thus giving a gkazy shine.

Cool before slicing.