BNF Taiwan week won’t be complete without featuring this popular Taiwanese staple dish – Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice). Braising is one of my favorite method to cook meat. It is not only economical but also efficient. Braised meat taste even better the next day.
There are a of couple versions when it comes to the type of pork used– minced or cubed. In southern Taiwan, “Bah-sò (肉燥)” (minced pork) is seen on the menu. Think of it as Chinese Bolognese meat sauce. For this recipe, I’m going to go with Northern Taiwan, using cubed version.
Ingredients:
17 oz (500 g) shoulder butt – cut into about 1 cm small cubes
2 tbsp dried shrimps – soaked for 30 mins and chopped
1/4 cup (50 ml) good quality soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/4 cup (50 ml) rice wine (I’m using Shao Tsing)
4 tbsp fried shallots
2 tbsp fried minced garlic
2 star anise
A pinch of five spice powder
1 piece of medium size rock sugar / 2 tbsp white sugar
Some hot water
To serve:
Steamed rice or egg noodles
Hard boiled eggs
Green leafy vegetable
Serves 4
Recipe source: Taiwan Duck
The line up.
Diced pork shoulder butt.
In a large pan or wok, add in the diced pork and cook for about 10 mins, until the liquid in the pan has almost evaporated.
Continue to cook until the liquid is almost evaporated.
Add in dried shrimps, rock sugar, star anise, five spice powder and stir fry for 30 secs. Do not worry if the rock sugar is still hard as it will melt eventually.
Add in the sauces, shallot, garlic and ½ of the rice wine and stir for another minute. Cover and bring simmer for 5 mins. The sauce should be bubbling and slightly thick.
Add in hot water just enough cover the pork (we want a gravy consistency and not a soup) and place in hard boil eggs (if using) and simmer for 30 mins. Turn the eggs occasionally so both sides are evenly stewed.
After 30 mins, add in the remaining rice wine and cover for another 2 mins.
Your stewed pork is done!
The taste is savory, sweet with a bouquet of fried shallots and garlic aroma. I’m usually not a fan of leftovers but this is one of those kind of foods that taste even better the next day!
- 17 oz (500 g) shoulder butt – cut into about 1 cm small cubes
- 2 tbsp dried shrimps – soaked for 30 mins and chopped
- ¼ cup (50 ml) good quality soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup (50 ml) rice wine (I’m using Shao Tsing)
- 4 tbsp fried shallots
- 2 tbsp fried minced garlic
- 2 star anise
- A pinch of five spice powder
- 1 piece of medium size rock sugar / 2 tbsp white sugar
- Some hot water
- To serve:
- Steam rice or egg noodles
- Hard boiled eggs
- Green leafy vegetable
- In a large pan or wok, add in the diced pork and cook for about 10 mins, until the liquid in the pan has almost evaporated.
- Add in dried shrimps, rock sugar, star anise, five spice powder and stir fry for 30 secs. Do not worry if the rock sugar is still hard as it will melt eventually.
- Add in the sauces, shallot, garlic and ½ of the rice wine and stir for another minute.
- Cover and bring simmer for 5 mins. The sauce should be bubbling and slightly thick.
- Add in hot water just enough cover the pork (we want a gravy consistency and not a soup) and place in hard boil eggs (if using) and simmer for 30 mins.
- Turn the eggs occasionally so both sides are evenly stewed.
- After 30 mins, add in the remaining rice wine and cover for another 2 mins.
- Serve warm.
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