Loh bak

Also known as lor bak, these Chinese fivespice pork rolls are a very popular Penang hawker dish. Traditionally sold as finger food, in this recipe they're served with a light carrot and turnip pickle making them perfect for a light entree.

Loh-bah

• serves

  4

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 250 g lean pork fillet, cut into strips
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1–2 tsp sugar
• pinch ground pepper
• 5 water chestnuts (frozen ones are best)
• 1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fivespice powder
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp mung bean powder
• 4 sheets bean curd skin (you can buy this in packets at Asian food stores)

Standing time 2 hours

Instructions

Mix meat, garlic, pepper, sugar, 5 spice powder, sesame seed oil together in a bowl. Add the leek and water chestnuts, then the egg white and mung bean powder to bind it. You don't need to add salt to the mixture as the bean skins are already quite salty.

Cut bean skin into squares or rectangles along the fold lines. Place some of the meat mixture in the centre, making sure you include all ingredients, fold and roll it into a cylindrical shape, then seal it with a thin paste of mung bean powder or cornflour diluted in water. Take care not to over-fill the skins or they will split during frying. 

Deep fry in oil until outside skin is just brown and crisp. Drain, cut into several pieces then serve immediately.Serve with cucumber and turnip/carrot preserve.

Turnip/carrot preserve
Soak thin slices of turnip/carrot in salt for about 10 minutes then squeeze moisture out. Soak in vinegar, sugar and chilli to taste for a few hours. It will keep for weeks.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.