Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Belly Rice)

⏱ 110 min · Serves 4

Sticky, glossy cubes of pork belly slow-braised with fried shallots, five-spice and soy until they melt into a savoury-sweet sauce. Spoon it over hot rice with a soy-braised egg and a few pickles — the ultimate Taipei night-market comfort bowl.

Per serving: 842 kcal · 36.0g protein · 66.0g carbs · 47.0g fat

Ingredients

• 700g pork belly, skin on, cut into 1cm-thick strips or small cubes
• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 6 shallots, thinly sliced (or 4 tbsp store-bought fried shallots)
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 star anise
• 400ml water or unsalted chicken stock
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced (optional, soaking water reserved)
• 4 eggs
• 300g jasmine rice, cooked
• Pickled mustard greens or blanched pak choi, to serve
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Fry the sliced shallots slowly, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper, leaving the oil behind. (Skip if using ready-fried shallots.)
2. Turn the heat up and add the pork belly to the shallot oil. Fry 8-10 minutes until the fat has rendered and the edges are browned. Spoon off all but about 1 tbsp of fat.
3. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then sprinkle in the sugar and let it caramelise for a minute, stirring so it coats the pork.
4. Splash in the Shaoxing wine and let it bubble away, then stir in both soys, five-spice, white pepper, star anise, shiitake (plus a little soaking liquid if using) and most of the fried shallots.
5. Pour in the water or stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is silky and the sauce is dark and slightly syrupy. Uncover for the last 15 minutes if it needs reducing.
6. Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 7 minutes, cool in cold water, peel, then nestle them into the braise for the final 20 minutes to soak up colour and flavour.
7. Stir the sesame oil through the pork and taste — add a splash more soy or a pinch of sugar as needed. Fish out the star anise.
8. Pile hot rice into bowls, ladle over the pork and plenty of sauce, add half an egg each, the remaining crisp shallots and some pickled greens or pak choi.