Peranakan Heritage Cooking

BABI GORENG
TAUYU LADA

Serves 4–6

Slices of pork marinated in dark and light soy sauces (tauyu) and pepper (lada), then stir-fried and sweetened with a sprinkling of sugar. This side dish is typical daily fare in many Peranakan homes and is a firm favourite with children. For a quick and simple yet satisfying meal, serve with a vegetable stir-fry and rice.

Lean pork 500 g (1 lb 1½ oz), cut into
0.5-cm (¼-in) thick slices

Dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp
Light soy sauce 2 Tbsp
Sesame oil 1 Tbsp
Ground white pepper 3 tsp + more to taste
Sugar 2 Tbsp
Cooking oil 2 Tbsp
Hot water 150 ml (5 fl oz)

Garnish

Coriander leaves (cilantro) to taste
White peppercorns (optional)

1. Place pork, 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, 3 tsp pepper and
1 Tbsp sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well. Cover and leave pork to marinate
for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a wok and add marinated pork. Stir-fry until pork is cooked.

3. Remove pork, leaving marinade in wok. Keep wok heated.

4. Add hot water, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp dark soy sauce to wok. Stir to mix and dissolve
sugar. Boil until sauce is thick, then lower heat. Add a dash of pepper and turn off heat.

5. Return cooked pork to wok and mix well. Dish out and garnish with coriander leaves
and white peppercorns if desired. Serve hot with rice.

NOTE

• A good cut of meat to use for this stir-fried dish is pork shoulder as it is lean yet tender.

PERANAKAN HERITAGE

Cooking