Taiwanese Style Pork Rice Bowl Recipes

LU ROU FAN (TAIWANESE BRAISED PORK RICE BOWL)

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil (just enough so that the pork will be fully submerged), and blanch the chopped pork belly for 1 minute. Drain, rinse clean of any scum, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok over low heat, and add the sugar. Cook the sugar until it starts to melt and then add the onions. Turn up the heat to medium high and stir-fry the onions for a minute. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for another couple minutes.
• Add the blanched pork, shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and water. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the spices (which should be tied in cheese cloth), along with the peeled hardboiled eggs and turn the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• At this point the meat should be fall-apart tender. To finish the dish, remove the spice packet and turn up the heat to medium high to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. This process should take about 5-minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, but there should still be plenty of it left. Serve over steamed white rice.

LU ROU FAN (TAIWANESE PORK RICE BOWL, 卤肉饭)

Steps:

• Heat up oil over medium heat. Add sliced shallots. Fry until they become golden and crispy.
• Drain through a sieve. Set the shallots aside for later use. The oil can be used in other dishes (see note 2 to learn how).
• Cut pork belly into strips. Put into an empty wok (without oil) over medium-high heat. Fry until the fat has been extracted and the meat browns slightly.
• Stir in garlic and rock sugar. Fry until fragrant and the sugar has melted.
• Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, five-spice powder, white pepper, diced shiitake mushroom, fried shallots (leave some for topping) and hard-boiled eggs.
• Pour in the water in which the mushrooms were soaked. Top up with more water to immerse the meat completely.
• Bring it to a full boil. Turn the heat down to the lowest. Cover with the lid and leave to simmer for at least 1 hour until the pork becomes very tender (check the water level halfway through and top up if it seems too dry). This step can be done in a stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot. Adjust time accordingly.
• If there is still quite a bit of liquid left, turn the heat to high and cook uncovered to reduce its volume and thicken (Do not dry it out though as you'd need some liquid to serve with the meat).
• Put freshly cooked rice in serving bowls. Top with blanched vegetable and halved eggs. Then spoon the pork, along with some thickened broth, over the rice. Add the rest of the fried shallots. Serve immediately.
• Once the pork cools completely, store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to three day or two months in the freezer.
• Reheat over low heat (defrost first if frozen) until piping hot. If necessary, add a little water to help to heat the pork thoroughly.

TAIWANESE STYLE PORK RICE BOWL

Steps:

• Brown pork in skillet until cooked; drain off oil and set aside.
• Add vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
• Saute garlic for 1 minute.
• Add pork and shallots, stir a few times.
• Add water and the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
• Uncover and cook for 15 more minutes.
• Serve over steamed rice.

INSTANT POT TAIWANESE BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Brown Pork Belly in Instant Pot: Heat up Instant Pot using "Sauté More" function. Wait until Instant Pot says "HOT" in order to induce a maillard reaction. Add 1 tsp (5ml) peanut oil in Instant Pot's inner pot, then ensure the whole bottom is coated with oil. Lightly season the pork belly's skin side with salt. Place pork belly's seasoned skin side down in Instant Pot. Brown pork belly for roughly 5 minutes per side. Lightly season the other side of pork belly with salt. Then, brown the pork belly's two thinner sides for 3 minutes per side. Set aside the browned pork belly.
• Optional Flavor Enhancing Step - Caramelize Sugar: Add 1.5 tbsp (22g) unsalted butter in Instant Pot, then ensure the whole bottom is coated with melted butter. Add 2 tbsp (29g) brown sugar, then stir very occasionally. *Pro Tip: Ensure the sugar reaches a deep caramelized color (see photo). This process will take ~1.5 - 2 mins.
• Saute Shallot and Garlic: Once the brown sugar has a deep brown color, add ¼ cup (60g) deep fried shallots (or minced shallot) in Instant Pot to stop the sugar from burning. Then, add in ginger slices and minced garlic. Saute for another minute.
• Deglaze: Pour 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing wine and 1 cup (250ml) cold water in Instant Pot. Deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix.
• Pressure Cook Pork Belly: Add in 2 - 3 (3g) star anise, 2 bay leaves, 3 tbsp (45ml) soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15ml) dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15ml) Chinese black vinegar, ½ tsp (0.8g) five-spice powder, ¼ tsp (1g) ground white pepper. Give it a quick mix, then turn off the heat. Slowly cut the pork belly into small strips (see photo), then place pork belly in Instant Pot, and give it a quick mix. *Pro Tip: Ensure the pork belly is partially submerged in the cooking liquid. Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 20 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release. After 10 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the Venting Knob to Venting position. Carefully open the lid.
• Thicken Lu Rou Sauce: Remove & discard the star anise and bay leaves. *Pro Tip: If you want to add in soft or hard boiled eggs, add them at this stage. Bring the delicious content to a simmer with the "Saute More" function. Let the content simmer for 3 - 10 minutes to break down the meat & thicken the sauce. Stir occasionally.
• Season & Serve Taiwanese Braised Pork: Taste and season the Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly (for reference, we used 3 pinches of salt & ~1 tsp white sugar here to balance & further bring out the depths of flavors). Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, then serve on rice. Enjoy your delicious Classic Taiwanese Minced Pork!~ :)