| Lou mei | |||||||||||
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| Pig ears (left) with Jellyfish (right) | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 滷味, often written as 滷味 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 滷味 | ||||||||||
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Lou wei is the name given to dishes made by simmering in a sauce known as lou (滷汁). Lou is a soy-based sauce flavored with spices. Like barbecue sauce in the US, there are many local varieties with different spices added to it. It is not unusual for ingredients to a lou sauce be a closely guarded secret. However, most lou sauces include Chinese star anise (八角), dried orange peel (陳皮), cinnamon (玉桂), cardamom (荳蔻), and fennel 小茴香.
Lou wei can be made from meat or from internal organs, entrails and left-over parts. The most common varieties are beef, pork, duck and chicken. Originating in Southern China, it is a core part of chiu chow cuisine and it is widely available in China and Taiwan with many regional varieties. Selections vary greatly among overseas Chinatowns, often depending on the immigrant mix.
Lou wei can be served cold or hot. Cold lou wei is often served with a side of hot lou sauce for immediate mixing. Hot lou wei is often served directly from the pot of lou sauce.
Common varieties include: