Lu Rou Tacos with Quick Cucumber Pickles

Method

1. Slice the cucumber 2 mm thin, toss in a bowl with the rice vinegar, sugar and salt and leave for 15 min. It turns into a tangy quick pickle while you cook the pork.

   Add in this stepCucumber 120 gRice vinegar 2 tbspSugar (for the pickles) 1 tspSalt 2 pinch

2. Put the oil and thinly sliced shallots into a 24 cm frying pan and switch on to medium-low heat. Stir for 6 min until light golden, then lift them out. Take them out early: dark brown shallots taste bitter.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 2 tbspShallots 35 g

   medium-low heat

3. Turn the same pan up to medium-high heat, add the pork and break it up with a spatula as it cooks for 5 min. When no pink remains and some bits are golden, add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.

   Add in this stepMinced pork (about 20% fat) 240 gGarlic cloves 2

   medium-high heat

4. Add the wine, light soy, dark soy, brown sugar, five-spice and water, plus half the fried shallots. Simmer on medium-low heat for 14 min until the liquid has almost cooked away and the pork looks glossy. A little sauce clinging between the meat is enough; too much makes the tortillas soggy.

   Add in this stepShaoxing or Taiwanese rice wine 1½ tbspLight soy sauce 2 tbspDark soy sauce 1 tspBrown sugar 2 tspFive-spice powder ½ tspWater 150 ml

   medium-low heat

5. Heat a dry pan on medium heat and warm the tortillas two at a time, about 30 seconds per side, 2 min in total. Once soft and lightly charred in spots, wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep warm.

   Add in this stepCorn tortillas (about 15 cm) 4

   medium heat

6. Fill the tortillas with pork, drained cucumber pickles, coriander, thinly sliced jalapeño and the rest of the fried shallots. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over just before eating.

   Add in this stepFresh coriander (cilantro) 10 gJalapeño 1Lime 1