Lu Rou Fan 滷肉飯, or braised pork over rice, is almost as much of a staple in Taiwanese cuisine as rice itself. Ok, that's a stretch but the point is, it's foundational.

The formula is pretty simple: bloom your aromatics, brown your pork belly (or mushrooms as the case may be); add your seasonings, sauces, and sweetener; and let it bubble away with a spice pack until the sauce is reduced and the pork slices (or mushrooms) are tender. In this recipe, we call for peanut butter, a la Eric Sze of the NYC restaurant 886 and many a Cookpad contributor. It helps to keep the sauce thick and creamy and imparts a warm, well-rounded flavor.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Yun Hai Taiwanese Pantry (@yunhaishop)

Lu Rou Fan 滷肉飯

Equipment: We use a Tatung electric steamer in this recipe to cut active cooking time, but feel free to make this recipe over the stovetop as well.

Ingredients

• 1 lb skin-on pork belly, sliced
• 1 tbsp oil (like Dong He Peanut Oil)
• 1 oz rock sugar, or to taste
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1⁄4 cup Shaoxing wine
• 4 tbsp Vat Bottom or Traditional Firewood soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Traditional Firewood Soy Paste
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 braising pack, store bought or homemade (see below)
• 4 hardboiled eggs, optional
• Cilantro, optional

• Braise pack, tied together in a cheesecloth:
• 3 star anise
• 2 pieces dried tangerine or dried orange peel 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes, then slice into strips. Retain the mushroom soaking liquid to add into the braise.
2. Rinse and cut the pork belly into 1⁄2” thick strips, as if making very thick cut bacon. Chop each strip into 1⁄4” pieces against the grain. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Add oil to a hot wok and heat until shimmering. Add in the shallots, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Fry on medium heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant and sugar starts to melt. Add in the blanched pork and mushrooms. Fry for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown. Deglaze the pan with 1⁄4 cup of Shaoxing wine. Simmer for a couple minutes. Add in the soy sauce, soy paste, peanut butter, and 1⁄2 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Stir until the pork is evenly coated, a minute or two.
4. Pour the mixture into the inner pot. If needed, add more mushroom soaking liquid or water, stopping just below the level of the pork. Submerge the braising pack in the mixture. Top with hard boiled eggs, if using.
5. Add 2 rice cups of water to the outer pot. Cover, and let steam for 40 to 60 minutes, adding more water to the outer pot if needed.
6. Check for doneness. Pork should be tender. Cook for longer and adjust salt level if needed. The sauce should be just thick enough to coat rice, not too soupy. If needed, reduce sauce further on the stovetop (this can happen if too much liquid was added in step 4.
7. Serve over rice, with an egg if you used them. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.