Preserved Pork (Pinongian)

Pinongian is one of the traditional foods that have been handed down from generation to generation of KadazanDusun people. This is the best way to store food for longer lasting, especially in the days before there are refrigerator. In that time, when they got more result in their hunting or fishing, they need to preserve it for not to become stale and rotten.

The preservative used is the Flesh of the seeds from the tree Pangium edule or known locally as Pangi (called buah keluak or kepayang in Malay). It widely grows in the forest. The preservative quality of the seed is very potent (contain hydrogen cyanide) that eating it raw can induce nausea, vomiting and even death. The fresh pangi need to soak for a few days and then smoke-dry before can use it flesh as preservative.

Actually Pinongian is different from Bosou even though both been through fermentation process. The difference is, bosou being preserved to get it sourish taste while pinongian preserved in order to make the meat or fish will last longer. Bosou can be eaten directly after the fermentation, while pinongian must be cooked before serving, even after preserved within a period of time.

Here I would like to show you how to make pinongian. This time I used the pork skin and some pork lard. However you can follow the same method if you want to preserve fish or other meat.

Ingredients:

• 1kg skin and pork lard
• 10-15 pangi

Step 1:

Pound pangi flesh into coarse powder

Step 2:

Clean, cut and drain the skin and pork lard

Step 3:

Sprinkle the pangi over the meat

Step 4:

Mix until well combined

Step 5:

Store in airtight bottle, container or jar

 ***We will see the results within 2 -4 weeks. More fragrant and more delicious if preserved for a longer period***

Braised Pork in Soy Sauce

I have tried many version of this dish since my childhoods. It is actually a popular Chinese Hokkien dish known as Tau Yue Bak. The Chinese version is always cooked with some boiled eggs and sometimes with some mushrooms. There are many ways to cook this dish.  Some like it with lighter sauce, some like thicker sauce and some even like it in spicy version. Actually there is no regulation on how it should be; the important thing is how the taste will satisfy your taste bud.

KadazanDusun modern cuisine is more influenced by the Chinese cuisine especially in pork dishes.  My mother's version for this dish is very simple in which the ingredients needed are only soy sauce, pork and some other simple ingredients.  As far as I remember, she never adds hard boiled egg to her braised pork.  

My kids doesn't really likes spices such as cinnamon stick and star anise, so  I made some modifications in my version by adding some type of ingredients that I feel fit and able to add more flavor and fragrance to the dish.  My version is slightly dry with a bit of oil out of the meat.   I'm also accustomed to not adding boiled eggs into it.

Ingredients:

1. 1kg pork shoulder
2. 2 whole bulbs of garlic
3. 1inc galangal (mashed)
4. 1tsp Chinese 5 spices powder
5. 5tbsp dark soy sauce
6. 5tbsp light soy sauce
7. Some rock sugar
8. 2 cups of water

Methods:

• Rinse and cut pork shoulder into bite size.
• Combine all ingredients (except water) in a pot. Marinate for a about 30 minutes.
• Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the meat juice are slightly dried out.
• Pour in water and let to boil.
• Once the water boils, lower the heat and braise for 40 minutes or until the meat is cooked thoroughly and become tender. Stir occasionally to prevent it from burning.
• Serve with rice.

*** This dish is very flexible. You can adjust the taste if more light soy sauce or dark soy sauce are needed and add more water if you like it with more gravy ***