Taiwanese Recipe
Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan
Lu rou fan is a Taiwanese braised pork rice dish: small pieces of pork, soy sauce, aromatics, five-spice, and rice.
Why this dish works
The dish teaches Taiwanese rice-bowl logic. The pork is rich and concentrated, but the dish is completed by rice, pickles, egg, and small sides.
Recipe at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Serves | 4 |
| Time | 1 hour |
| Core technique | Small-cut braise |
| Heat level | Mild |
| Best with | Rice, egg, greens, pickles |
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly or pork shoulder, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced, or 1/2 onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1.5 cups water or stock
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, optional
- Cooked rice
- Pickled vegetables and greens for serving
Method
- Fry shallots in oil until golden. Remove some for garnish if desired.
- Add pork and cook until lightly browned.
- Add garlic, soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, sugar, five-spice, and water or stock.
- Simmer gently until pork is tender and sauce is concentrated.
- Add boiled eggs during the last 20 minutes if using.
- Serve pork and sauce over rice with egg, pickles, and greens.
- Top with fried shallots.
Variations and substitutions
- Use ground pork for a faster version.
- Add dried shiitake mushrooms for deeper flavor.
- Use turkey or mushrooms for a lighter adaptation.
- Serve with Taiwanese cucumber salad.