卤肉 for dinner

Decided to make some 卤肉 for dinner tonight... haven't been cooking as much as I'd like since I've been pretty sick for more than 2 weeks. I believe that each chinese family probably have their own version of what goes into the 卤, and my recipe is mostly based on what I've learnt from my Grandma. I've added my own touch here and there since it's seemingly impossible to recreate ANYTHING that my darling Grandma makes.

Ingredients:
Baby pork ribs
Lean pork tenderloin (since I don't like the fatty pork ribs too much. But the fat in the ribs is very flavorful for the 卤)
Boiled and peeled eggs
Firm Tofu (aka Dou Gan) -The fried ones maintain their shape much better throughout the cooking process than the fresh ones do, but I use the fresh ones cos there's less fat.
Dark Soy Sauce
Star Anise
Cinnamon
Peppercorns
Fresh Garlic
A Teaspoon or so of Brown Sugar (brightens up the flavor a little, contrasts the saltiness of the soy sauce)

Star Anise and Cinnamon sticks



Peppercorns


I use a lot of pepper in my cooking. Pepper and garlic. My kitchen is always stocked with several different types of pepper and never without garlic.

Bob calls the 卤肉 dish "Soy Sauce pork with the eggs". I'm glad he eats pork. A lot of Americans don't eat pork other than bacon and sausages. Some people even keep pot-bellied pigs as pets. Do they not eat bacon for breakfast then? Wouldn't that also be kinda awkward if your pet pig begs for scraps from your breakfast? *ROFL*