Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Meat)

Ingredients

• 2 cups tempe/tofu or ground/sliced meat of choice
• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup carrot (finely diced, optional)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 cup onion (finely diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (grated)
• 1 inch ginger (grated)
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Steps ---

2. 2

   Rehydrate shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup of boiling hot water, set aside for 15 mins, finely dice (reserve soaking water) & set aside.

3. 3

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan or wok on medium high, add tempe/tofu or meat of choice (cut into bite sized pieces), cook for 5 mins till they start to brown on all sides, remove & set aside.

4. 4

   Into the same pan, add remaining oil, when hot, add onion & cook for 2 mins, add garlic & ginger & cook another min.

5. 5

   Add spice powder, cook for 1 min & add mushrooms & carrots.

6. 6

   Cook for 2 mins, add mushroom water, both soy sauces, vinegar, salt, pepper & protein back in.

7. 7

   Cook for 5 mins, taste to adjust seasoning & remove from heat when gravy reaches desired consistency (if not, add more water)

8. 8

   Serve over rice, with fresh or blanched vegetables, pickles, egg & chilli oil (optional)