Rock Sugar
Rohan shines like a gem! Iced sugar is a must for Taiwanese stews
Description
Crystallized sugar featuring high sucrose purity and elegant, clean sweetness without off-flavors. In Taiwanese homes, 'rock sugar' is always used instead of regular sugar when braising meat.
Classification: For Families,Sugar/Sweetener,Glossing Meat
Shops selling Rock Sugar
Researching
We are researching shops that sell this item.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The How to use section below is a general reference, not instructions from the listed shops.
How to use
Ingredients
- Sucrose(from Sugarcane)
Instructions
- [Usage Secret]
- [Lifeblood of Hongshao Rou/Lu Rou Fan] Always add this when braising pork with soy and star anise. Tenderizes meat amazingly and yields a 'jewel-like gloss' on the finish (regular sugar won't produce this beautiful shine).
- [Medicinal Soup] Dissolve as a base for dessert soups needing faint elegant sweetness, like white fungus soup (Yin Er Tang) or lotus seed soup (Lian Zi Tang).
- [Tea] Used to sweeten traditional Taiwanese teas (Chrysanthemum tea, Winter Melon tea).
Learn more Substitutes, pairings, tips
Key spices
Pure sweet aroma without quirks
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Granulated or caster sugar (sweetens but gloss/richness is inferior)
Pairing
Lu Rou Fan, Hongshao Rou (Braised pork), White fungus soup
Trivia
[For Families] Japanese view 'rock sugar' only for fruit liquors (plum wine, etc.), but in Taiwan, it reigns in the kitchen's top tier as the 'ultimate braising seasoning'. The tech 'Chao Tang Se'—melting rock sugar in a little oil in a wok to caramelize before coating meat—is the biggest secret to making Taiwanese food taste pro-level.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] During plum season, Taiwanese homes pack green plums and massive rock sugar into jars to make homemade 'Plum Syrup (Meizi Lu)' to enjoy all summer!
Allergen
None