Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

This is the recipe I am proudest of in this cookbook. It's my 拿手菜 na shou cai, or "specialty dish," a term we use for one's best dish in their repertoire. I'm not trying to boast, but if there's one thing out of the 88 recipes in this cookbook that I know you need to try, it's this dish. This is a traditional Taiwanese recipe that has been passed down from my great-grandmother and perfected through the generations. Even in Taiwan nowadays, it's hard to find this flavour, because the number one secret to making a really good bowl 卤肉饭lu rou fan is love and patience. Hand-cutting the pork is so important because you'll get the perfect ratio of fat, meat, and pork oil. It is worth the effort, and you can really tell the difference in taste and texture.

There's never a gathering at my place where people aren't requesting my braised pork rice. I suggest making it in bulk and freezing some. If you really want to impress your guests, serve my soy-marinated Taiwnese Eggs (page 98) and Garlic Cucumber Salad (page 97) as well and you will have the Taiwnese recipes I'm proudest of in one meal. 

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:

• 2 pounds / 900g pork belly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup rice wine
• ½ cup light soy sauce
• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 cups water, divided
• 1 cup Fried Shallots (page 249), plus more for serving

For serving:

• 4 cups cooked rice (page 241), or any other type of cooked rice
• 4 Braised Taiwanese Yolky Eggs (page 98), cut in half lengthwise
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Thinly sliced English cucumber 
  
  

METHOD

1. Use a cleaver or large knife to cut the pork belly crosswise into ¼-inch-thick strips. Make sure that every piece has a little bit of skin, fat, and meat.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large non stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add all the pork belly and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink.

3. Add the rice win, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and white pepper. Stir to combine.

4. Pour in 2 cups of the water and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 40 minutes.

5. Add the fried shallots and the remaining 1 cup water, cover with the lid, and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the pork belly can be easily pierced with a fork. 

6. To assemble, spoon the pork belly and sauce over rice in a large bowl. Top with braised Taiwanese yolky eggs and garnish with the cilantro, fried shallots, and cucumber.