Contributed by Ezra Lee for The Slow Press Vol. 4

For Orh Png

 

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized TARO (cut into bite-sized chunks, about 300g)

• 4 small SHALLOTS (finely minced)

• 8 GARLIC CLOVES (finely minced)

• 1 tbsp DARK SOY SAUCE

• 300g RICE (washed and drained)

• 500g PORK BONE STOCK (recipe below)

• 1 handful FRIED SHALLOTS (recipe below)

• 2 tbsp RESERVED SHALLOT OIL (recipe below)

• 2tsp SALT

• 1/2 tsp WHITE PEPPER

• 1/2 tsp MSG (optional)

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Instructions

1. Layer the bottom of your rice cooker pot with the chunks of taro and set aside.

 

2. Meanwhile, place a wok over medium-high heat. Once the wok begins to smoke, turn the heat down to medium and add in a general glug of vegetable oil. Swirling it around the work will crative a nonstick surface to stire fry your aromatics in.

 

3. Add in your finely minced shallots and garlic and stir fri for about 30 seconds.

 

4. Now add in the dark soy sauce, drizzling around the walls of the woke. This allows for maximum caramelization. Stir the sauce into the aromatics and add in the rice.

 

5. Season the rice with the salt, MSG and pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.

 

6. Transfer the rice into the taro-linked rice cooker pot and add the pork bone stock.

 

7. Cook the rice according to your rice cooker's setting for steamed rice.

 

8. Once the rice is cooked, drizzle the shallot oil over the top and sprinkle some of the reserved fried shallot crisps.

 

9. Serve it on its own or with the recommended accompaniments!

 

Suggested accompaniments:

- Hard-boiled egg, halved

- Braised pork belly

- Salted vegetable

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For Pork Bone Stock

 

Ingredients

• 1kg PORK BONES

• 30g GINGER (sliced)

• 1 LARGE SPRING ONION

• 2 tbsp SHAOXING WINE

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Instructions

1. Rinse pork bones over running water, making sure to get rid of the blood and other gnarly bits (doing this in a colander in the sink might be a good idea).

 

2. Transfer the bones into a large pot and cover it with water and bring it to a boil.

 

3. After it has come to a rolling boil, lower the heat down to bring it to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes until the scum has risen to the surface.

 

4. Turn off the heat. Pour the scummy water out and reserve the pork bones, rinsing them again under cold running water.

 

5. After thoroughly scrubbing and washing the pot, return the bones once again back into the pot together with the ginger slices, spring onions and shaoxing wine.

 

6. Fill the pot back up with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to allow the stock to simmer for another 45 minutes.

 

7. Once the stock is done, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the bones and vegetables. Et voila! Your stock is done.

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For Shallot Oil

 

Ingredients

• 200ml RENDERED LARD (or use oil if lard is not available)

• 10 SHALLOTS (peeled and sliced thinly)

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Instructions

1. Heat the lard in a saucepan over medium-high heat. While that gets going, prop a fine-mesh strainer over a metal bowl (or just something heatproof).

 

2. You can test if the oil is hot enough by throwing in a couple slices of shallots, if it begins to sizzle gently (as opposed to furiously), you’re good to go. Add in the rest of the shallots and continue frying them for another 5 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

 

3. At this point, you want to watch it very carefully, stirring as you go so that it browns evenly. Once the shallots are three-quarters of the way through, take it off the heat and strain the fried shallots through the strainer, reserving the lard. This is because the residual heat in the shallots will continue to cook it.

 

4. Store the fried shallots and the oil separately.