Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Pork Rice Bowl, 卤肉饭)

Method15 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Before starting the pan, soak all five dried shiitake mushrooms in enough water to rehydrate them fully. Refrigerate if soaking for an extended period. Lift the soft mushrooms out, trim any tough stems and dice them. Keep the clean soaking liquid separately, leaving sediment behind. Peel and thinly slice all 140 g shallots. Have a sieve and a heatproof container ready for separating the fried shallots from the oil.

   Uses 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, fully rehydrated before frying the shallots; reserve their soaking liquid · Water to fully rehydrate the five dried shiitake mushrooms, as needed; retain the clean soaking liquid · 140 g shallots, peeled and thinly sliced in step 1

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat all 250 ml neutral oil over medium heat and add the sliced shallots. Fry for about seven minutes, watching closely, until golden and crisp. Take off the heat as soon as they brown and drain through the sieve into the heatproof container. Keep the crisp shallots separate from the drained oil, reserving some shallots for the final topping.

   Watch shallots until golden and crisp · 7 minUses 250 ml neutral cooking oil for frying shallots; drain and reserve the unused oil · All the prepared sliced shallots

3. 3

   Step 3: Cut all the skin-on pork belly (450 g) into strips. Peel and mince the five garlic cloves. Peel the four ready hard-boiled eggs, keeping them whole for braising. Keep the prepared garlic and eggs separate from the raw pork and wash hands and utensils after handling the raw meat.

   Uses 450 g raw pork belly, skin on, cut into strips in step 3 · 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced in step 3 · 4 ready hard-boiled eggs, peeled in step 3

4. 4

   Step 4: Put the pork strips in an empty wok over medium-high heat. Fry in their own rendered fat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add all the prepared minced garlic and the 20 g rock sugar, then fry until the garlic is fragrant and the sugar has melted.

   Uses All 450 g prepared raw pork strips · All five minced garlic cloves · 20 g rock sugar

5. 5

   Step 5: Take the browned pork pan briefly off the direct heat while you gather the prepared diced mushrooms and their reserved clean soaking liquid for the braise.

   Uses All the browned pork pan · The five prepared diced mushrooms and their separately reserved soaking liquid

6. 6

   Step 6: Add both soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, five-spice powder (½ teaspoon), white pepper (¼ tsp), all the diced rehydrated mushrooms and the four peeled hard-boiled eggs to the pork pan. Add the fried shallots, keeping some crisp shallots aside for topping. Keep the drained shallot oil out of this pan.

   Uses The held browned pork pan · 2 tablespoon light soy sauce · 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce · 2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine · ½ teaspoon five-spice powder · ¼ tsp ground white pepper · All five diced rehydrated mushrooms · The fried shallots for braising, leaving some crisp shallots for topping and all drained oil aside

7. 7

   Step 7: Pour the clean reserved mushroom soaking liquid into the assembled pork pan. Add additional water only as needed to immerse the meat completely.

   Uses The complete assembled pork pan · The clean reserved mushroom soaking liquid · Additional water to immerse the pork, only as needed

8. 8

   Step 8: Bring the pan to a full boil, then reduce to the lowest heat and cover. Simmer gently for the first thirty minutes of the at-least-one-hour braise, then check the water level.

   Braise: first half-hour, then check liquid · 30 minUses The complete braising pan

9. 9

   Step 9: At the halfway check, add a little of the extra braising water only if the pot looks too dry. Cover again and simmer for at least another thirty minutes, continuing until the pork is fully cooked, very tender and slightly gelatinous.

   Braise: second half-hour minimum · 30 minUses The complete covered braise · Extra braising water at the halfway check, only if needed

10. 10

    Step 10: If plenty of thin liquid remains once the pork is very tender, uncover and turn the heat high to reduce and thicken it. Leave enough rich broth to spoon over the rice; do not let the pot dry out.

    Uses All the tender pork braise

11. 11

    Step 11: Keep the four portions ready-cooked plain rice (4) and the ready-blanched green vegetables hot for serving. Lift the four braised hard-boiled eggs from the pork broth and halve each one. Put the rice in four bowls and arrange the green vegetables and two egg halves on each.

    Uses All four braised eggs lifted from the pork broth · 4 portions ready-cooked plain steamed rice · Ready-blanched green vegetables, such as bok choy, for serving, as desired

12. 12

    Step 12: Spoon the tender pork and some thickened broth over each of the four prepared bowls. Scatter over the reserved crisp fried shallots and serve immediately.

    Uses All four prepared rice, vegetable and egg bowls · The cooked pork and thickened broth after the four eggs have been lifted out · The reserved crisp shallots for topping, without the drained oil

13. 13

    Step 13: If preparing the pork ahead, set aside the cooked pork, eggs and broth you will save before assembling the rice bowls. Transfer to shallow containers for prompt cooling and refrigeration. If keeping the separate drained shallot oil, let it cool and put it in a clean closed jar in the refrigerator.

    Uses Any cooked pork, eggs and broth being saved before bowl assembly · The drained shallot oil, if keeping it for another dish

14. 14

    Step 14: Keep the saved pork, eggs and broth covered and refrigerate promptly. Use within three days, or freeze for up to two months. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator before reheating.

    Uses Only the cooked pork, eggs and broth being saved

15. 15

    Step 15: Reheat the saved pork, eggs and broth gently over low heat, adding a little water only if needed to loosen the sauce. Heat thoroughly to 74°C / 165°F throughout and serve hot.

    Uses The saved portion selected for reheating · A little water for reheating, only if needed