Joong
When the bakery in Chinatown closed, I missed the joong they had and was forced to learn to make it. It's an awful 2 day process of soaking, assembling and cooking and probably not worth the effort to most, but now that I've started making my own, I can't go back to buying joong. It just isn't the same. If I can't find salted duck eggs in Chinatown, sometimes I'll salt my own extra large jumbo chicken eggs, but I don't usually have the patience to wait a month for the eggs to salt. The stainless steel mold was made by my son-in-law.
Rice Mixture (mix together well):
2 1/2 lb mochi rice (wash, soak overnight, drain)
1/2 lb black-eyed peas (wash, soak overnight, drain)
3 Tbsp Hawaiian salt
1/4 cup Wesson oil (optional)
1 lb pkg lup chong (sliced into coins)
Pork Mixture (combine and mix well):
2 1/2 – 3 lb belly pork (cut into pieces)
1 Tbsp Hawaiian salt
2 Tbsp five spice powder
Salted Duck Eggs:
12 salted duck egg (yolks only)
Wrappings:
40 bamboo leaves (wash, soak overnight)
1 roll of string and scissors to cut string
To Assemble (Use triangle mold):
Place a leaf in the mold. Fold second leaf, shape like a cone into the center of the mold. Place third leaf in the cone.
Scoop 1/3 cup of the rice mixture into the cone.
Spread on egg yolk and 4-5 pieces of pork on the rice mixture.
Cover with a second scoop of rice mixture.
Place a leaf on top to cover rice.
Fold side leaves in. Fold end leaves together and fold in.
Tie securely with string. Makes about 10-12 joong.
Place the joong in a large pot with enough water to cover at least 2” over top of joong. Bring to boil and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Be sure water is at the boiling point. Turn off heat after boiling and let sit for 1 more hour.
Note: Add more boiling water to cover joong as needed.
Lup chong may be chopped and added to rice mixture or sliced and layered in with pork.
*Recipe was cut in half because full recipe (about 22 joong) does not cook evenly in pot if too crowded.
