Lard

The white solid fat rendered from pork back fat, hard from the fridge and soft at room temperature. The old bakeries used it in the fat dough of flaky egg tarts, in 光酥餅, walnut cookies, pineapple-bun topping and the teahouse 馬拉糕, for the crumb and the old-fashioned smell; the black-sesame filling of tangyuan runs only because of it. Most homes now use butter instead, for a softer, less crumbly result. Some Australian supermarkets keep a block of lard in the butter cabinet; Asian butchers sell pork back fat to render slowly at home.

Cautions: read first

• Pork fat; anyone who does not eat pork uses butter or vegetable shortening.

Preparation

Chill it hard and dice before rubbing into flour; to render, dice the back fat with a splash of water over low heat and strain.

Availability in Australia

Easy to find

Pairs well with