Yam Kow Yoke

There are so many versions of this yam kow yoke.  The pork in my previous kow yoke were always so tough and I guess I must have not steamed it long enough.  Finally I found a way to shorten the cooking process after a tip from my Anne, my sister's daughter-in-law. 

This dish can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer.  Just take out and steam it when needed.  Since much preparation is needed in this dish, one can always prepare more.

Recipe is here.

Yam Kow Yoke

600 gm pork belly (cut into 2 or 3 big pieces for easy handling  and rub with dark soya sauce and wine)
1 small yam  (cut into thick slices)

Marinate

3 pieces lam yue (preserved  red bean curd) )
2 tabsp sugar                                               )
1 tabsp oyster sauce                                    )
1 tabsp Chinese wine                                   )   mix together
1 tsp soya sauce                                          )
500 ml water                                               )
3 ting heong                                                 )
1 pat kok                                                    )
1 small piece cinnamon bark (kwai pei)        )

1 tabsp garlic (chopped)

 Method

1)    Boil the pork for about 1/2 hour.  Take out and wash.  Pat dry with towel.  Poke the skin with a fork.
2)    Brush some dark soya sauce and Chinese wine onto the pork.
3)    Heat a cup of oil in the wok.  Fry the yam pieces for about 5 mins and dish out.
4)    Put in the pork pieces skin down into the oil. Be careful,  oil will splatter once the meat is in the wok.
       Get ready and cover the wok once you put in the pork. Wait until skin is brown.  I turn off the heat
       before I open the wok cover. If you can deep fry the whole piece of meat, it would be better.
5)   Take out the pork and put them into cold water and let soak for half an hour.
6)   Cut the pork into thick slices. Discard the water.
7)   To soften the meat faster, boil them for 1/2 hour.  Take out and set aside. (This part if optional)
7)   Heat a 2 tabsp of oil in wok and put in the chopped garlic.  Fry until fragrant.
8)   Pour in the mixed marinate and spice.  Let it cook for a while.  Taste the sauce and add more soya
      sauce or sugar if needed.  Off fire.
9)  Arrange the yam and pork pieces skin down into a bowl until full. I smear one more piece of
     lam yue onto the pork. Pour the cooked sauce over the meat.
     Let it cool and cover it with plastic film and store in freezer if you want to keep, otherwise just
    steam it for a hour and it is ready.