Lu Rou Fan is one of the most well known classic dishes of Taiwan and rightfully so. A bowl of freshly steamed rice, smothered with ultra tender pork belly slowly braised with spices in a rich, savory gravy.
You don’t need to wander far in Taiwan to find a bowl of Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice - 滷肉飯 ). Along with Beef Noodle Soup, Tea Eggs, Cold Sesame Noodles, and Oyster Omelets, Lu Rou Fan is the definition of Taiwanese comfort food.
Every trip we made home to Taiwan included several bowls of Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice. It's so flavorful, filling, abundant and inexpensive. It’s no wonder it's so popular among locals and visitors.
What is Lu Rou Fan?
Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice is pork belly simmered in a soy sauce based gravy served over a bowl of rice. It's rich and full of flavor, accented with five spice and star anise.
The addition of fried shallots adds another layer of aromatics and also acts as a thickener. Rock sugar and rice wine round out the recipe.
Lu Rou Fan is a super easy dish to make at home. One pot is all you need. Don't let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. It truly is a simple recipe and doesn't take up much of your time.
Get the braise started, kick up your feet and relax as the mouthwatering aroma fills your kitchen.
Helpful Tips for Lu Rou Fan
This Lu Rou Fan recipe makes a super delicious and super easy weeknight meal. My girls always pop their heads into the kitchen and ask, "is it ready yet?"
I like to double the recipe to make it last several meals or to feed a crowd. It also makes meal prepping a breeze.
Lu Rou Fan freezes very well. Divide the pork into individual portions and freeze without the rice. Thaw and reheat over the stove or in the microwave.
Freeze individual servings of rice as well to make meals a cinch. Place a damp paper towel over the rice and reheat in the microwave.
On the other hand, stewed eggs don't freeze well since it ruins the texture. So don't make too many and be sure to enjoy them while they're fresh.
The name Lu Rou Fan directly translates to "Braised Meat Rice" but I've enjoyed Lu Rou with noodles many, many times as well. I'm such a noodle girl, I can't resist!
How to Make Lu Rou Fan
I use a 3 quart Dutch oven, which fits this recipe perfectly. Any sized pot should do, though keep in mind that you may need to adjust the amount of water you add.
TIP: You'll need to remove the star anise and ginger prior to serving. To make the task easier, put them in a spice/tea bag or wrap them up in cheesecloth.
1) Begin by heating a pot over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and lightly brown the ginger and garlic.
2) Add the pork belly and sauté over high heat until it begins to brown, about 5-10 minutes.
3) Add the spices (5 spice, white pepper and star anise) and sauté to bring out the aromas, about 1 minute.
4) Add the seasonings (rice wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and rock sugar). Stir well to coat the pork.
5) Add the fried shallots. By now the rice wine will have started deglazing the pot. Scrape to release all the nice brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pot.
6) Add water and hard boiled eggs. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the pork is tender and the sauce thickens, about 1.5-2 hrs.
During the braising, add more water as needed to keep the pork belly submerged. Once the pork belly is tender, the sauce should be thick, rich and flavorful.
Remove the star anise and ginger before serving.
How to Serve Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice
Lu Rou Fan is always served over rice. Spoon the braised pork belly (and a lot of sauce) over freshly steamed rice. Watch as the rich sauce seeps into the crevices and coats the rice.
Top with a hard boiled egg sliced in half along with a few slices of takuan (Japanese pickled daikon radish). The slightly pickled flavor and crunchy texture make a perfect complement to the richness of the braise.
Add a side of leafy green vegetables and your classic Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan meal is complete.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork belly, cut into ¼" thick strips
- 3 slices of ginger
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3-5 star anise
- 1 teaspoon five spice powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ cup Michiu rice wine
- 4 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar
- 1 cup fried shallots
- 2 cups water
- 5 hard boiled eggs, optional
Instructions
- Heat a medium sized pot over medium heat then add a tablespoon of oil.
- Add ginger and garlic and sauté just until the garlic begins to change color, about 30 seconds.
- Now into the pot goes the pork belly. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until it begins to brown.
- Add white pepper, five spice and star anise. Sauté until the spices become aromatic.
- Pour in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine and rock sugar. Stir until the pork is well coated and allow the liquids to deglaze the pot.
- Carefully scrape the side and bottom of the pot to release the lovely brown bits. Stir in fried shallots.
- Pour in enough water to fully submerge the pork. If you're including hard boiled eggs, add them in now.
- Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally. The Lu Rou Fan is ready when the pork belly is tender.
- Remove the ginger slices and star anise. Serve over rice.
Jaime Wang says
I make mine with a lot of fried shallots just like you.
Jackie says
I made this exactly as you wrote it. Tasted so good.
Deb says
This one is the one!!! Great recipe!
Cindy says
Turned out great. Thank you for sharing your recipe.