Teochew Braised Meat is also known as Lou Bak or Tau Yew Bak. This traditional delicacy is best known for its fragrant soy sauce gravy, infused with a variety of spices. A truly classic dish that brings back the good old times.
Watch How To Make Teochew Braised Meat (Lou Bak) 潮州滷肉 – Recipe Video
A Nostalgic Classic Dish: Teochew Braised Meat 潮州滷肉
This is my family’s recipe for braised meat in soy sauce or literally called Lou Bak 滷肉 or Tau Yew Bak 豆油肉. It is one of the many Teochew traditional dishes that my late mum had prepared which we have missed so much until today. The meat was always tender and juicy.
The taste for this braised meat is simply addictive as it is filled with an intensely flavourful sauce that was only possible with a good quality soy sauce, which to my mum, is a MUST have for this delectable dish. Also, hard-boiled eggs and tofu were always added for a more complete meal.
Fragrant Soy Sauce Gravy, Infused With Spices: Lou 滷
Braised with a variety of aromatic spices, this fragrant soy gravy in this classic dish is known as Lou 滷. This gravy is just so unbelievably good with a warm bowl of steamed rice. In many teochew families, this braised meat dish is usually served with plain rice porridge (commonly known as Teochew Porridge). Another great way to enjoy this dish is to eat it with steamed buns or mantou.
You’ll simply never get enough of this aromatic soy gravy. What’s more, this classic and versatile stew is also quite easy to prepare too. For those who don’t consume pork, you may replace the meat in this recipe with chicken thigh and drumsticks – tastes just fantastic with chicken as well.
As usual, enjoy!
Teochew Braised Meat (Lou Bak) 潮州滷肉
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Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 kg pork belly, with skin, cut into large pieces.
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 pieces fried beancurd, also known as tau-kwa, quartered
- 3 eggs, hard-boiled, shelled.
Sauce:
- ¼ cup light soy sauce, premium brand
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 bulb garlic, with skin intact
- 5 shallots, with skin intact
- 1 tsp jintan manis, fennel seeds
- 1 tsp jintan putih, cumin seeds
- 2 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise
- 4 cloves
- ½ tsp chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp rock sugar
- 4 cups water
First, wash, cut and drain well the meat. Cut into 3/4 inch thick pieces and set aside.
Cut each fried beancurd into 4 pieces.
In a pot of boiling water, hard-boil the eggs and remove the shells. And we're ready to cook the meat!
Over low heat, add oil and sugar to the wok. Melt the sugar slightly.
Then add in light soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
Next, add in the cut meat. On medium heat, cook until lightly browned. Browning adds additional flavour to the stew.
Then add in the garlic, shallots and mixed spices. Stir to combine well.
Cover the ingredients with water.
Add rock sugar and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce to low heat and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
Add in chinese five spice powder.
Then add the fried beancurd and hard-boiled eggs. Allow to simmer with lid on for another 10 minutes. And we’re done!
Goes extremely well when served with steamed rice. As always, ENJOY!
8 comments
I tried this, the flavour is definitely there but my meat is tough instead of tender. What should I be doing to ensure meat is tender? I find that it didn’t really sear very well at the start where I put the meat in. Maybe next time I’ll sear for before putting in the sauces.
Did you use pork belly for this recipe? Do not overcooked the meat. Use low fire to simmer. Your meat should come out tender. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi, love your recipe that I found on Youtube. Looks most legit compared to rest I saw online, haha. Why do you use the 5-spice raw (cinnamon, star anise, clove, etc) and then also add 5-spice powder later on? I don’t really want to stock up on the raw spices, can I just use 5-spice powder and how much do you think?
Hi, you can skip the 5-spice powder. Its just to give extra flavour. Not a problem. Taste just as good. Thanks
Thanks sharing the recipe.
Would like to know what are these:
1) jintan manis
2) jintan putih
3) cloves
Jintan manis is also known as fennel seeds. Jintan putih is cumin seeds. Cloves are actually dried flower buds from the clove tree. All these are actually spices used in braising meat and stew.They can be easily bought in most sundry shops or supermarkets. Hope this helps to clarify.
Thanks for sharing the recipe – btw is the quantity for light soy sauce and dark soy sauce correct? Followed the amounts and it’s rather salty and light in color compared to your photos.
Hi David, the measurement for light soy sauce and dark soy sauce is correct. But you can always adjust to your taste. Perhaps the brand of the sauce we use are not the same. Enjoy!