Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice 台式卤肉饭 Recipe

Prep

Finely dice the pork belly into small 5–8 mm cubes. Thinly slice 6 shallots and smash 6 garlic cloves. Measure out spices, soy sauces, Shaoxing and stock so they are ready.

Caramelize shallots

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook slowly, stirring frequently, until deeply golden-brown and caramelized (about 15–20 minutes). This develops the base flavor for the braise. Remove about 1–2 tablespoons of the caramelized shallot (reserve for mixing back later) and leave the rest in the pot.

Render pork

Turn heat to medium-high. Add the diced pork belly to the pot with the caramelized shallots. Stir to coat and render fat, searing for 6–8 minutes until the edges brown and a good amount of fat is released. If the pot gets too dry, add a splash of Shaoxing.

Deglaze and aromatics

Add the smashed garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 30 ml Shaoxing wine and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Add 60 ml light soy sauce and 30 ml dark soy sauce and stir to combine.

Build the braising liquid

Add 600 ml low-sodium chicken stock or water, 30 g rock sugar (or brown sugar), 1 tsp five-spice powder, 2 star anise and 1 cinnamon stick. Stir, bring to a low boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Simmer

Partially cover and simmer gently for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the liquid reduces too quickly, add a little more water. The pork should become tender and the sauce should concentrate into a glossy, saucy consistency.

Finish and season

Remove star anise and cinnamon. If you prefer a slightly thicker lu rou, smash a few pieces of pork against the pot with the back of a spoon to release collagen and thicken the sauce. Stir back the 1–2 tbsp of reserved caramelized shallot for deeper flavor. Add 0.5 tsp white pepper and up to 1 tsp salt to taste. Keep warm on lowest heat while finishing other components.

Optional: Steep eggs in the braise

If using soft-boiled eggs, you can add peeled eggs to the braise during the last 10–15 minutes to absorb flavor; turn eggs occasionally so they color evenly.

Heat 120 ml vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the 80 g thinly sliced shallots in a single layer and fry, stirring gently, until golden-brown and crisp (about 4–6 minutes). Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Keep an eye closely — shallots burn quickly. Use as a crunchy topping for the finished bowls.

Rinse 2 cups jasmine rice under cold water until the rinse water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch. Drain and place in a rice cooker or medium pot. Add 2.5 cups water and 0.5 tsp salt. If using a pot, bring to a boil uncovered over high heat, reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly and cook 12–14 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Bring 1200 ml water to a rolling boil. Gently lower 4 eggs into the boiling water and boil for 6:30–7:00 minutes for jammy yolks. Immediately transfer eggs to the 500 ml ice water bath to stop cooking for 5 minutes. Peel carefully. Optionally, add peeled eggs to the braise for the final 10–15 minutes to marinate and color them.

Thinly slice 1 cucumber on the bias. Lightly salt the slices and let sit 5–10 minutes, then squeeze out excess liquid. In a bowl whisk 60 ml rice vinegar, 1 tbs sugar and 0.5 tsp salt until dissolved. Toss the cucumber with the dressing and 1 tsp sesame oil. Let sit at least 10–15 minutes before serving for quick pickle flavor.

Divide the cooked jasmine rice into four bowls. Spoon a generous ladle of the braised pork and sauce over the rice. Halve the soft-boiled eggs and place one half or whole egg per bowl if using. Add a spoonful of quick pickled cucumber on the side.

Top each bowl with fried shallots, a sprinkle of thinly sliced scallions, and a few cilantro leaves. Finish with a light dusting of white pepper if desired. Serve immediately while braise and rice are hot.