#ewew cooks Stir-Fried Chinese Leeks with Lap Cheong

The first time I cooked leeks was during Chinese New Year (CNY) earlier this year.  It so happened I was at my neighbourhood supermarket when I noticed the leeks (and if I remember correctly, I think they were from China).

Even though I've never cooked leeks before (I'm the only in my family who likes them, so I usually get them from the chap fan stalls when it's available), I decided to get some since leeks is an auspicious ingredient for CNY.  Cooking this for our reunion dinner with (extended) family, I didn't know I would like it so much.  

So, the other day, when I spotted leeks selling at my neighbourhood wet market, I immediately got myself some as I wanted to cook and eat my Stir-Fried Chinese Leeks with Lap Cheong again.  Even though the leeks I got this time were also from China, they weren't as thick as the ones I bought previously.  The previous ones were much larger and tend to have a longer length of the white parts but they were also more expensive.

The leeks look like a plumped up version of spring onions.  This dish is one of the simplest dishes you can cook.  All you need is just two ingredients.....leeks and lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and a bit of garlic, of course.  It can't get any easier than that! ;)

Cut your leeks diagonally (it's much prettier and more presentable that way)...just the white parts (which also means the lighter green parts).  Now the debate is on whether the (darker) green parts of the leek are edible (more like good enough to eat).  Most said yes, it can be eaten (I'll let you know what I think of that later).

I start by pan-frying the lap cheong slices in some oil first (before adding the chopped garlic)...and that's because I like them slightly caramelised (but that's just me).  The sugar (or sweetness) in the lap cheong helps with the caramelisation and makes it that much more fragrant.

But if you don't like those darkened bits (as I know many people freak out at the sight of them), then put both the lap cheong and garlic in to stir-fry at the same time.

As soon as the garlic browns, add in the sliced leeks....the white parts only! ;)  The leeks should be cooked until the texture still has a light crunch.  That's how I like to eat them.

I don't like to cook it till too soft...so I don't add any water (nor cover my pan) to help it soften.  The frying process itself would soften it naturally.  It should only take a minute or two and I simply seasoned it with a bit of salt.  That's it.....is that too easy or what?  Lol.

I've been hooked on eating this simple dish of Stir-Fried Chinese Leeks with Lap Cheong ever since I first cooked it for CNY.  And the beauty of this stir-fry is that nothing is set in stone!  You don't have to have an exact amount of each ingredient in a stir-fry, you can vary them according to what you like to have more.  In this case, you can use more lap cheong if you want more meat in your dish (here I used one lap cheong to 3 stalks of leeks).

The sweetish-salty flavours of the lap cheong goes really well with the oniony flavour and crunchy texture of the leeks.  Just ensure you get some good quality lap cheong and this one was fragrant with that hint of wine...really good.  Now all you need is rice!  This is typical of those easy to make one-dish meals that I like (and this was the perfect portion for me with a small bowl of rice). ^o^

How do you know if you'll like leeks?  Well, if you're someone who enjoys eating spring onions, garlic chives or even onions, then you'll most probably enjoy leeks too as they all share an almost similar taste profile.  I love them...but I've to say the China leeks I got during CNY were just a tad sweeter and tastier though.  I'm not sure if it was because it's a different variety or because it was the timing when it was grown (nearer to CNY)! ;)

Coming back to the question of whether the green parts can be eaten....well, the answer is yes...but it wouldn't be very tasty (when I included them once)...at least not to me.  The darker green parts I found to be quite stringy and chewy.

The other negative would be that there's quite a bit of dirt and sand trapped in between the green parts, so you have to be extra careful to remove the layers of the leek to wash them thoroughly.  I wouldn't go through all that trouble seeing that it wasn't that nice to eat in the end.

The most common pairing I've eaten leeks with is with siu yuk (I usually find it at chap fan stalls where it's cooked till soft).  You can cook it with waxed meat too.  Or cook it with canned spicy pork cubes it seems (perhaps I can try that next). 

I think I'll stick to eating the best parts only....which are the more delicate white parts! ^.^  For those of you who love leeks and are looking for a simple stir-fry or one-dish meal, this is a good contender.  If you end up liking it as much as I do, you can perhaps cook this for CNY since the dish bears auspicious ingredients of leeks and lap cheong which signifies wealth and long life!  You bet I'll be getting more of the plumper leeks if I see it sold during CNY again. ^_~