Savoury Rice with Cured Meat/Wax Meat (腊味饭)

Contrary to its name, there is no wax in the wax meat.  In China, salted cured meat is called la-wei (腊味) and the word la (腊) could be mistaken for wax in Chinese.  All  la-rou (腊肉)are salted and cured in the cold dry wintry air and sun during  La-yue (腊月) which is the 12th month of the lunar calendar - hence the name la-rou (腊 肉).  So la-rou has been lost in translation as wax meat.  

This is a popular dish during Chinese New Year.  And also my once-a-year indulgence.

Ingredients:

1 cured/wax duck drumstick

1 strip cured/wax meat

2 Chinese sausages

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

a few slices of ginger

finely shredded ginger

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups rice, cooked in the rice cooker

Seasonings:

3 tbsp light soy sauce (or to taste)

1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar

dash of pepper

Garnishing:

coriander leaves

• Blanch wax duck, wax meat and sausages with boiling water to get rid of excess oil and smell. Place all the cured meat into a heatproof dish, top with ginger slices and drizzle 2 tbsp cooking wine over them.  Steam for about 15 - 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, saute the ginger and garlic until crispy and aromatic.  Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring the seasonings to the boil.  Set aside.
• Cut the sausages and cured meat into slices.  De-bone the cured duck and cut into pieces.
• Put everything, including the juice from the cured meats and seasonings into the rice and stir well to combine. 
• Garnish rice with coriander leaves before serving.