Name: Lu rou fan (home recipe)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients: 500g pork belly, hand-chopped or minced; 60ml dark soy sauce; 30ml light soy sauce; 30ml Shaoxing rice wine; 30g rock sugar; 1 star anise; 1 small piece cinnamon; 1 teaspoon five-spice powder; 5 garlic cloves, sliced; 3 shallots, sliced; 30ml vegetable oil; 20g dried shiitake, soaked and chopped; 4 soft-boiled eggs, peeled; 400g cooked Taiwanese short-grain rice, to serve; Pickled cucumber, to serve

History

Lu rou fan is eaten throughout Taiwan and southern Fujian, and the flavor varies by region. In northern Taiwan people favor a greasier sauce, sometimes with glutinous rice mixed in, while in the south it is made with less fat and called bah-so-png. In 2011 a Michelin green guide wrote that minced pork rice originated in Shandong, and the Taipei City Government held a press conference asking for a revision to say it is a Taiwanese dish.

Common allergens: Gluten, Soy, Pork, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 20 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

500g pork belly, hand-chopped or minced
60ml dark soy sauce
30ml light soy sauce
30ml Shaoxing rice wine
30g rock sugar
1 star anise
1 small piece cinnamon
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
5 garlic cloves, sliced
3 shallots, sliced
30ml vegetable oil
20g dried shiitake, soaked and chopped
4 soft-boiled eggs, peeled
400g cooked Taiwanese short-grain rice, to serve
Pickled cucumber, to serve

Method

Heat oil in a heavy pot, fry shallots and garlic until golden brown, 4 minutes.
Add pork belly, brown over high heat 5 minutes, breaking up the mince.
Add Shaoxing wine, both soy sauces, sugar, star anise, cinnamon and five-spice. Stir.
Add shiitake and 500ml water, bring to the boil, reduce to a low simmer.
Add soft-boiled eggs, cover, simmer 60 minutes until the pork is glossy and the sauce reduced to a thick syrup.
Spoon over hot rice and serve with pickled cucumber on the side.

Tip from the editors. Hand-chopped beats minced; the irregular texture holds sauce better. Rest the braise overnight if you can; the fat layer at the top can be skimmed.