Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

　　Taiwanese braised pork rice is a beloved dish enjoyed by many. Do you know how to make it? Here, we’ll teach you the step-by-step method for making authentic Taiwanese braised pork rice—check it out now.

　　 Ingredients: pork belly, shallots (if unavailable, onions can be used as a substitute—I used onions, though there are slight differences in preparation between onions and shallots, which will be explained in detail), boiled eggs, Chinese broccoli, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp

　　 Seasonings: minced ginger, minced garlic, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, star anise, cooking wine, rock sugar, five-spice powder, ground white pepper, salt

　　 Instructions:

　　 1. Wash the pork belly, blanch to remove blood foam. You can cut it into a few large chunks for easier handling during blanching. Once blanched, dice the pork belly into small cubes and set aside.

　　 2. Wash the onions or shallots, then finely chop them.

　　 3. Boil a few eggs in advance to add to the braising liquid later, turning them into marbled eggs.

　　 4. Heat some oil in a wok. First, sauté the minced ginger and garlic until fragrant. Then add the chopped onions or shallots and continue stir-frying until golden brown. Next, add the diced pork belly and stir-fry until the meat turns pale. Then add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, star anise, cooking wine, five-spice powder, rock sugar, and ground white pepper. Stir well to combine.

　　 5. Pour in an appropriate amount of warm water—just enough to cover the pork belly by about 1–2 cm.

　　 6. Turn up the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil after stirring well. Then transfer everything to a clay pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer slowly. Don’t forget to add the boiled eggs at this stage. Simmer for two hours. If you’re short on time, simmer for at least one hour. Add salt after about one hour of cooking.

　　 7. To serve, spoon the rice onto a plate, drizzle with the braising sauce, and top with blanched Chinese broccoli leaves and halved marbled eggs. For a less greasy meal, serve with an extra side of greens.