Steamed Wu Tau / Yam ( From Hakka Style Steamed Wu Tau Kau Yuk )

Hakka Style Steamed Wu Tau Kau Yuk is one of Hakka signature dish.  My late dad was the expert at home. I remember he prepared this like every CNY festival in big amount for our own consumption and give away to relatives and friends.  Those days, Dad liked to cook his Steamed Wu Tau Kau Yuk with wood fire instead of on gas stove.  He said it can cook longer until the meat and yam so tender and soft and every piece of meat and yam perfectly tasty!! I remember every bite, those skin+fat+meat and yam like literally melts in your mouth....aaahh....I think for all i have tried in my childhood years, Dad wu tau kau yuk is the Best!!

Since i can't eat Pork, im going to turn this dish into some sort of vegetarian dish without meat.  I could use vegetarian meat thought which we did before but i do not have one for this time.  So i just cook Yam with exactly dad sauce. It turned out exactly the same taste, so delicious, its just the same dish without meat that's it.   Every bite just bring me back to my childhood years eating dad's kauyuk! Since i made this vegetarian version, i am no longer afraid of eating kau yuk, imaging the fats haha....just can't bare it anymore as we getting older health conscious... *lol Now no problem without meat.

STEAMED WU TAU / YAM
INGREDIENTS
1 whole large Vietnamese Yam/Taro
6 big shallots
10 cloves of garlic
5 cups Cooking Oil ( for deep-frying )

SPICE
3pcs star anise ( blend to powder )

SAUCE
1-2cups water
1tsp 5 spice powder
3 Fermented Red Beancurd
2tsp dark soya sauce
2tbsp oyster sauce
1tps light soya sauce
3tbsp sugar
dash salt

METHOD:
* Peel Taro/Yam slice 1cm thick. Do not wash with water.
* Marinate Taro/Yam with salt 20 minutes.
* Heat wok, 5 cups of oil, deep fried yam until cooked. Dish up, arrange yam on a 8" or 6" round pan depending on the amount of Yam, place fried Yam upside down closely. Sprinkle some star anise powder on top, set aside.
* Chop shallots and garlic until fine, sprinkle 2tbsp on top of yam.
* Prepare steamer, with medium heat.
* In a bowl, add in Sauces mix well set aside.
* Pour half of the sauce into yam. and sprinkle remaining chopped shallots and garlic on top follow with some more star anise powder just dash a little around equally.
* Transfer yam into wok, let it steam and constantly checking on the sauce, taste, do add remaining sauce on yam and keep steaming until yam is soft and fully cooked through. This could steamed up to 40 minute.
* When it is cooked, removed from steamer, turn steamed wu tau / yam on a serving plate and garnish with cilantro.