Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice Bowl)
Pork belly is one of those ingredients that never lets you down — rich, tender, and packed with flavor. And when it comes to highlighting this, few dishes do it better than Lu Rou Fan , the iconic braised pork rice bowl. This comforting one-bowl meal has everything you need: melt-in-your-mouth pork belly braised in a savory-sweet sauce, perfectly seasoned hard-boiled eggs, fluffy rice, and some simple greens to balance it all out. The pork is cooked until it’s almost melted, then coated in a glossy sauce that clings to every bite of rice. It’s hearty, homey, and simply irresistible — the kind of comfort food that makes you want to eat up 3 bowls of rice.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pork belly
- 4–5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 4–5 Shallots, finely chopped (or substitute with onions)
- 2–3 slices Ginger
- 8–10 Shiitake mushrooms, soaked
- 3 tbsp Light soy sauce (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Rock sugar (or substitute with brown sugar)
- 1/2 tsp Five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp White pepper
- 1–2 pieces Star anise
- 1–2 Bay leaves
- 1 Dried chili pepper
- 1–2 cups Water (enough to cover the pork)
Optional:
- Hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- Green onions, chopped
Step by step instructions
1. Soak Shiitake Mushrooms
Place dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water until soft. This usually takes about 30 minutes, but for the best texture and flavor, you can soak them overnight.
2. Prep the Pork Belly
Slice the pork belly into 2-inch long strips. This size helps the meat braise evenly while keeping just the right balance of lean and fatty bites.
3. Chop Aromatics
Once your mushrooms are softened, slice them thin. Dice the shallots (or substitute with onions if that’s what you have). These aromatics are what give Lu Rou Fan its depth of flavor.
4. Brown the Pork Belly
Heat a little oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or pan. Stir-fry the pork belly until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Browning the pork adds that first layer of rich flavor to the dish.
5. Sauté the Aromatics
Add in the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms, cooking until fragrant. This is where your kitchen starts to smell amazing!
6. Season the Dish
Mix in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, five-spice powder, white pepper, bay leaf, and star anise. Stir well so every piece of pork is coated in that sweet-savory seasoning blend.
7. Simmer Low and Slow
Pour in just enough water to cover the pork. Lower the heat, cover, and let it gently simmer for about 1 hour. The pork will turn tender, and the sauce will reduce into a glossy, flavorful gravy that clings to every bite.
8. Serve and Enjoy
Spoon the braised pork over a bowl of steaming white rice. For the full Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan experience, add a soy-braised hard-boiled egg and finish with a sprinkle of green onions on top.
Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pork belly
- 4-5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 4-5 Shallots, finely chopped
- 2-3 slices Ginger
- 8-10 Shiitake mushrooms
- 3 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Rock sugar
- 1/2 tsp Five spice powder
- 1/2 tsp White pepper
- 1-2 pieces Star anise
- 1-2 Bay leaves
- 1 Dried chili pepper
- 1-2 cups Water (enough to cover pork)
Optional
- 2 Hard boiled eggs
- Green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Soak Shiitake Mushrooms: Place dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water until soft. This usually takes about 30 minutes, but for the best texture and flavor, you can soak them overnight.
- Prep the Pork Belly: Slice the pork belly into 2-inch long strips. This size helps the meat braise evenly while keeping just the right balance of lean and fatty bites.
- Chop Aromatics: Once your mushrooms are softened, slice them thin. Dice the shallots (or substitute with onions if that’s what you have). These aromatics are what give Lu Rou Fan its depth of flavor.
- Brown the Pork Belly: Heat a little oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or pan. Stir-fry the pork belly until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Browning the pork adds that first layer of rich flavor to the dish.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add in the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms, cooking until fragrant. This is where your kitchen starts to smell amazing!
- Season the Dish: Mix in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, five-spice powder, white pepper, bay leaf, and star anise. Stir well so every piece of pork is coated in that sweet-savory seasoning blend.
- Simmer Low and Slow: Pour in just enough water to cover the pork. Lower the heat, cover, and let it gently simmer for about 1 hour. The pork will turn tender, and the sauce will reduce into a glossy, flavorful gravy that clings to every bite.
- Serve and Enjoy: Spoon the braised pork over a bowl of steaming white rice. For the full Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan experience, add a soy-braised hard-boiled egg and finish with a sprinkle of green onions on top.