Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Over Rice

Tender, savory, and deeply comforting, Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Over Rice (Lu Rou Fan) is a must-try classic. The pork is caramelized, simmered in rich soy sauce, and served over steamed rice with a soy-braised egg and vegetables. It’s simple, satisfying, and bursting with umami flavor.

Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Over Rice Recipe

Serves: 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Rest time: overnight
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the braise:
2 pounds pork belly, skin on, cut into 1/2-inch rectangular bite-sized pieces
1 bunch scallions, white part only
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried fried shallots
8 dried shrimp, minced
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, minced (soaked in water overnight)
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of five-spice powder
Pinch of salt
2 cups hot water
2 pods star anise
6 eggs, boiled and peeled

For serving:
Steamed white rice
Blanched green vegetables (optional)

Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Over Rice Instructions

1. Brown the pork belly:

• In a pan over high heat, add the pork belly (no oil needed) and stir-fry until golden brown and nearly crispy, about 5 minutes.

2. Add aromatics:

• Add the white parts of the scallions and stir until fragrant.
• Stir in the minced garlic and cook until aromatic.

3. Build the flavor base:

• Add the dried fried shallots, minced dried shrimp, and soaked shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry for about 1 minute.
• Stir in the sugar and cook for a few minutes to help caramelize the pork belly.

4. Simmer the braise:

• Pour in the soy sauce, rice wine, hot water, and season with a Pinch of white pepper, a Pinch of five spice powder, and a Pinch of salt.
• Add the star anise and boiled eggs. Mix well, cover with a lid, and reduce to low heat.
• Simmer for 40 minutes, occasionally turning the eggs to coat them evenly in the sauce.

5. Serve:

• Spoon the pork and sauce over steamed rice, add a braised egg and blanched greens on the side, and enjoy!

Tips & notes

• Use skin-on pork belly: It adds the perfect gelatinous texture to the dish.
• Soak mushrooms overnight: This gives the mushrooms time to fully rehydrate and release more flavor.
• Turn the eggs: Turning the eggs as they simmer helps them absorb that beautiful golden color and rich flavor evenly.
• Make ahead: Like many braised dishes, this gets even better the next day.