Minced Pork Rice 滷肉飯

This dish is often known as a peasant country dish. You will often find it in a bento box on the street of Taiwan, served with soy sauce eggs and stewed tofu as breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's rustic, salty and fatty, served over rice or noodles on a cold winter day or evening. It's also often served over porridge, making it a perfect comfort food all year round.

- YU TSAI

by YU TSAI SERVES  4 TO 6 PREP TIME  30 MIN COOKS IN  1.5 HOUR DIFFICULTY  EASY

photo by Yu Tsai

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil

1 lb (450 g) thinly chopped pork belly

1.5 medium cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons fried shallots

2 diced mushrooms

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

1/2 cup (120 ml) Chinese rice cooking wine

3 cups (711 ml) water

1/4 cup (60 ml) dark or light soy sauce

Instructions

  1. In a hot wok or sauce pan, heat the oil on medium to fragrant the garlic. Add the pork belly into the wok or pan and stir until browned on all sides.

  2. Add the mushrooms, dry shallots, sugar and five spice power. Continue to stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

  3. Add rice wine and bring the wok to a boil.

  4. Add water and soy sauce and cover the wok. At low heat simmer and reduce the sauce.

  5. Allow the flavor to develop over an hour and half. Stir occasionally.

Taste to test. Depending on the soy sauce of your choice, the level of salt may need to be adjusted.
Enjoy the dish with soy sauce, eggs and pickled daikon.

Recommended Recipes

Shredded Pork with 5 Spice Tofu 香干肉絲

Braised Pork Belly 紅燒肉