Lu rou fan is one of the great comfort foods of Taiwan — small pieces of slow-braised pork belly in a soy and five spice sauce, served over steamed white rice with the sauce ladled over everything and a hard-boiled egg turned mahogany from braising in the same pot. It is the dish that Taiwanese expats describe when homesick.
The pork belly renders its own fat during the long braise, contributing to the richness of the sauce. A tablespoon of lard at the beginning helps render the pork belly faster and adds depth to the final sauce.
Lu Rou Fan Recipe
Ingredients
- 500g pork belly, cut into 1cm dice (keep the fat — it is essential)
- 1 tbsp pasture-raised lard
- 4 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (for colour and sweetness)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- Water to cover (approximately 300ml)
- Steamed white rice, bok choy, and sliced spring onion to serve
Method
- Heat the lard in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced pork belly. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the pork has rendered some fat and is lightly golden. Remove.
- In the rendered pork fat, fry the shallots over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until deeply golden and crispy. Add the garlic and five spice powder. Cook 1 minute.
- Return the pork to the wok. Add the soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Stir to coat.
- Add enough water to just cover the pork (approximately 300ml). Add the whole boiled eggs.
- Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy consistency and the pork is very tender.
- Halve the eggs before serving. Serve the braised pork and egg over steamed rice with bok choy.
Is lu rou fan seed oil free?
Yes with lard. The braised pork fat and lard are the only fats.
Can I use ground pork instead of diced?
Ground pork makes a different (also excellent) version of lu rou fan — finer, saucier, with less distinct meat pieces.
Why two types of soy sauce?
Regular soy sauce provides salinity. Dark soy sauce provides colour and a subtle molasses sweetness.
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