Lou mei (滷味) is the name given to the dishes prepared by simmering them in a large volume of seasoned soy-based sauce before cooking, like a marinade.
It is the brother of the previously explained siu mei and lap cheung, as these three fall under the general classification of being Cantonese style cooked meats (known as siu laap, 烧腊).
Some lou mei dishes may also be fried (like pork intestines) or braised after the simmering or at the time of serving. The food commonly used to make lou mei includes poultry meat, red meat, entrails, and left-overs, but it is usually these last two, as read meat is preferred for the rotisserie-style cooking (siu mei, 燒味).
Lou mei dishes can be served cold or hot (see the graphic below), and either as a main course or as an entrant, but oddly enough, they are not considered a delicacy in China. Pig’s ears (豬耳) are an example of both cold and hot lou mei.
And if you need a flowchart on how a lou mei dish should be prepared, here’s the official recipe, from the Centre for Food Safety of the Government of Hong Kong:
You may also like:
- Cantonese charcuteries: a siu laap shop – 烧腊
- Cantonese roasted meat: siu mei – 燒味
- Clay pot rice – 煲仔饭
