One of my favorite rice porridge (congee or jook) toppings, is roe-tsong, or literally translated, "loose meat." It is also known as "pork floss" in some circles. I am sure you are asking about now, "What is 'loose meat?' Sounds naughty!"
See the mottled fibers in the lower right-hand corner of the image? Loose meat is essentially seasoned and dried pulled pork, and it is packed with barbecued flavors. Imagine taking a piece of regular dried jerky, and pulling the individual meat tendrils apart, one at a time, to yield a tuft of stringy dried meat fibers. That is what it is. Basically it is pulled pork jerky. Perhaps my description sounds unappetizing, but lemme tell ya', it is very tasty. The Chinese always know how to make the most out of a little protein by "extending" it, either by chopping it up into little bite-sized pieces for a stirfry, or by ripping apart pork jerky, to serve as a delicious snack or topping for an entrée. Sound interesting? You should try it! Loose meat is sold in Asian markets everywhere.
For more exotic and unconventional (but tasty) Chinese foods, check out my posts on century/thousand-year-old eggs and on five spice pressed tofu:
And for more of my posts on congee and porridge, check out these two (non-substantive, but food pornish--meaning, there are pictures) of my congee/porridge experiences:
This looks so delicious, I've never had the porridge or the jerky, but they both sound great.
ReplyDeletePE I've been on a congee thing this week (at Hing Lung of course) and have been playing with the idea of trying to make it at home. I'd heard about this pork floss and seen it at the markets but honestly, its appearance strikes fear in my heart. I love jerky though and your warm fuzzy posey to pork floss makes me want to embrace it too.
ReplyDeleteBe careful Sara, the taste and texture is interesting at first, but I think if you like jerky, you will appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteYou are very adventurous Foodhoe, and I know you love hiking, so this might be a staple to add in your hiking arsenal with the other more unconventional hiking snacks (along with dried nori/seaweed and wasabi peas). Don't keep it next to your trail mix though! :)
Hey PE - Happy Lunar New Year.... I've personally never really gotten into pork sung....but the Missus loves it. There was a version we had that was deep fried and glazed with sugar we had in Chiang Mai though.....
ReplyDeleteThank you KirkK,, Happy Lunar New Year to you and the Missus (and the Boyz) as well! I am like the Missus, I do like loose pork (pork sung). Deep fried pork sung sounds intriguing!
ReplyDeleteI love this stuff on congee too! And sandwiches :)
ReplyDeleteSandwiches? Interesting Taste Tests, I've had it on cold tofu, but not on sandwiches. I will have to try that some time!
ReplyDeletemy mom and i like to put "loose pork" in our plain congee too! it's oh-so-delicious. But I also see you put other thing in there like the duck egg and bean sprouts....what else do you put in it? seems like a pimped out congee!
ReplyDeleteThis is high on my list of guilty pleasures. And that is such a beautiful photo.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever tried it on a bun, held on by mayo?
Hee hee, thank you Dolly Vu, I added canned eel, bamboo shoots in spicy oil, and cucumbers marinated in sweet soy sauce. I think that bean sprouts in congee is a Vietnamese thing, because the relatives from my Chinese side do not do that.
ReplyDeleteThat is sweet of you to say Helen, thanks! I have heard of and seen pork sung/loose pork jerky on buns, but I have never tried them yet. You've just inspired me though!
PE, this was my Big League Chew growing up since I couldn't get my parents to buy it for me. My friends and I were so poor in college, we'd eat this over rice with some fried eggs and maggi sauce. Srsly, sometimes the most bizarre food combinations make you the jolliest.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't even afford this stuff in college EatDrinkNBMerry, I just had the rice, fried egg, and soy sauce!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is pork curry rather. But my kids don't like this. It won't be suitable in this blistering summer. I plan to make it for my family and give them a surprise in the coming monsoon.
ReplyDeleteThis would be such a big hit with all the men in my life...if I share...because I could probably eat all of it, with out guilt. lol Yum!
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