Fatty minced pork belly slow-braised in soy sauce, five-spice and shallots, spooned over steamed rice.
Lu Rou Fan is a real, traditional Taiwanese dish, known as Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice. Fatty minced pork belly slow-braised in soy sauce, five-spice and shallots, spooned over steamed rice.\n\nLu rou fan is considered Taiwan's unofficial national dish, developed from mainland Chinese braising techniques brought by settlers and refined into a distinctly Taiwanese comfort food centered on fried shallots and pork fat.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Taiwanese home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 4
Fry sliced shallots in oil over medium-low heat until deeply golden and crisp, about 12 minutes; remove and reserve both shallots and oil.
In the shallot oil, brown the diced pork belly until it renders some fat, about 8 minutes.
Add rock sugar and stir until it melts and coats the pork in a light caramel.
Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, star anise, five-spice and water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, add the fried shallots back in, and simmer covered for 1 to 1.5 hours until the pork is meltingly tender and the sauce has thickened.
Add hard-boiled eggs in the last 20 minutes to absorb the braise, then serve everything spooned generously over steamed rice.
Fry the shallots low and slow until deeply golden β rushed shallots turn bitter and ruin the dish's signature aroma.
Use pork belly with a good ratio of fat, not lean pork β the rendered fat is what makes the sauce silky.
This dish improves after a day in the fridge as the flavors deepen; make it ahead if you can.
Some versions add cubed daikon radish to simmer alongside the pork for extra texture.
A ground pork version cooks faster and is more common in casual eateries.
Add a soft-boiled marinated egg instead of a fully hard-boiled one for a richer yolk.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Lu rou fan is considered Taiwan's unofficial national dish, developed from mainland Chinese braising techniques brought by settlers and refined into a distinctly Taiwanese comfort food centered on fried shallots and pork fat.
Yes, though the texture will be less silky β ground pork cooks faster, about 45 minutes total.
Simmer uncovered for the last 15 minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.
Brown sugar or even white sugar works, though rock sugar gives a cleaner, less cloying sweetness.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) Β· 4 servings total
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