Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice Bowl) 卤肉饭

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb pork belly (no bone, with skin)

• 2 tbsp of soy sauce (for marinade)

• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine (for marinade)

• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms

• 2 shallots

• 4 slices of ginger (for sauce)

• 4 cloves crushed or minced garlic (for sauce)

• 3 pieces star anise (for sauce)

• 40 grams rock sugar (for sauce)

• 3 tbsp soy sauce (for sauce)

• 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for sauce)

• 5 tbsp shaoxing wine (for sauce)

• 1 tsp five spice (for sauce)

• 5 cups water

• 4 hard-boiled eggs

Instructions:

1. Prepare pork belly - cut the pork belly into half-inch pieces and marinate with soy sauce and shaoxing wine then set aside while preparing other ingredients

2. Prepare mushroom - soak dried shiitake mushroom in warm/hot water until rehydrated, then lightly squeeze excess water and cut into pieces

3. Prepare shallots - cut shallots into thin strips, then fry shallots in a pot/pan of oil on low heat until a golden brown and strain

4. Cook pork belly and mushroom - stir fry pork belly on medium high heat until cooked on all sides, then add shiitake mushroom, ginger slices, garlic, star anise, rock sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine and five spice

5. Braise - add in hard-boiled eggs and fried shallots, then add 5 cups of water (adjust amont based on pot size, the water should cover all the items in the pot), bring to a boil, cover with a lid, then lower heat to a simmer and braise for 1.5 hours (keep an eye on it every so often, I would turn over the eggs to ensure even coloring and make sure there's enough water in the pot)

6. Thicken sauce - by now the meat should be tender and soft (I like to poke a piece to test it), so uncover the lid and continue to let it simmer until the sauce thickens

7. Serve it up - scoop over the finished pork belly and sauce onto a bowl of rice, cut open the eggs and optionally add some veggies for a balanced meal

8. Enjoy!