Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork over Rice)

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork belly (Diced ½ inch; try to find a leaner cut.)
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms (Soaked; save the soaking liquid.)
• 6 shallots (Thinly sliced; alternatively, use 1 cup store-bought fried shallots instead of the shallots and frying oil.)
• 0.5 cup oil (For frying the shallots; keep 1 tablespoon in the pot after frying and remove the rest. Alternative: use store-bought fried shallots instead of the shallots and oil.)
• 4 cloves garlic (Minced.)
• 1 inch ginger (Minced.)
• 30 g rock sugar
• 0.333 cup Shaoxing wine
• 0.25 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 star anise
• 0.5 tsp five-spice powder
• 0.25 tsp white pepper
• shiitake soaking liquid (Use 1½ cups for the Instant Pot, or 2 cups plus water to just cover for the stovetop method.)
• 1.5 cup eggs
• 1.5 lb baby bok choy
• 1.667 cup jasmine rice or short-grain rice (Uncooked; choose jasmine or short-grain rice.)
• water (For the stovetop method, add enough with the shiitake soaking liquid to just cover the pork.)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the eggs and boil for 9 minutes. Transfer them to an ice bath, then peel.

2. 2

   In the same boiling water, blanch the diced pork belly for 1 minute. Drain and rinse it.

3. 3

   Thinly slice the shallots. Heat the oil in a pot and fry the shallots until golden. Scoop them out and leave 1 tablespoon of oil in the pot.

4. 4

   Add the blanched pork belly to the pot and render it for 8–10 minutes. Spoon off excess fat.

5. 5

   Add the rock sugar. Let it melt until amber, then toss the pork through it to coat.

6. 6

   Add the minced garlic, minced ginger, and soaked shiitake mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute.

7. 7

   Pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pot clean.

8. 8

   Add the light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, star anise, five-spice powder, white pepper, and fried shallots.

9. 9

   Instant Pot method: Add 1½ cups of shiitake soaking liquid. Cook at high pressure for 25 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release.

10. 10

    After the natural release, add the peeled eggs and use the sauté function for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce is glossy.

11. 11

    Stovetop method: Instead of the Instant Pot liquid amount, add 2 cups of shiitake soaking liquid and enough water to just cover the pork. Simmer over the lowest heat for 60 minutes.

12. 12

    Add the peeled eggs and simmer for 30 minutes more, until the pork skin is tender.

13. 13

    Blanch the baby bok choy for 30–45 seconds. Transfer it to an ice bath, then pat it dry.

14. 14

    Cook the rice according to its package directions; the source lists it as uncooked but gives no cooking method.

15. 15

    Pack or serve the rice with bok choy and pork with sauce, placing the eggs on the side.

Notes

The source gives alternative braising methods: Instant Pot or stovetop. Rice cooking instructions are not provided. The author says the meal keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator. The stated protein estimate is about 40 g per serving.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Taiwanese
• meal prep
• braised
• Instant Pot
• stovetop
• high-protein