A Tested Recipe
Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan).
A comforting Taiwanese rice bowl with tender strips of pork belly slowly braised in soy sauce, rice wine, aromatics, warm spices, and caramelized rock sugar until the sauce turns glossy and amber.
By jackTao · Jul 25, 2026
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The Mise en Place
Ingredients
Adjust portions
Main Ingredients
- 500 g skin-on pork belly, cut into thin strips
- 4 eggs, optional
- 3 bowls cooked rice, or as needed
Aromatics
- 25 g red shallots, minced
- 25 g garlic, minced
Seasonings and Spices
- 15 ml cooking oil
- 75 ml light soy sauce
- 35 ml rice wine, divided into 10 ml and 25 ml portions
- 20 g rock sugar
- 6 g white pepper powder
- 6 g five-spice powder, optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 star anise
- water, just enough to cover the pork
The Method
Instructions
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Step 4
- Step 5
- Step 6
- Step 7
- Step 8
- Step 9
- Step 10
- Step 11
- Step 12
Cut the Pork Belly
- Cut the skin-on pork belly into thin, fat-and-lean strips, roughly chopstick-thick with a little height from the skin side. The exact size does not need to be precise; keeping the strips slender helps the pork become soft and sticky during braising.
- 01
Cut the Pork Belly
- Cut the skin-on pork belly into thin, fat-and-lean strips, roughly chopstick-thick with a little height from the skin side. The exact size does not need to be precise; keeping the strips slender helps the pork become soft and sticky during braising.
- 02
Mince the Aromatics
- Finely mince the red shallots and garlic, then keep them separate for stir-frying.
- 03
Prepare the Eggs
- Boil the eggs until fully cooked, peel them, and make a few shallow cuts through the egg whites so they can absorb the braising sauce.
- 04
Heat the Oil
- Heat a wok or heavy pot over high heat. Add 15 ml cooking oil and swirl it across the bottom of the pan, then wait about for the oil to warm slightly.
- 05
Stir-Fry the Pork
- Add the pork belly strips and stir-fry until the meat turns slightly pale. Drizzle 10 ml rice wine around the hot edge of the pan, then keep stir-frying until the pork no longer releases much visible oil.
- 06
Add the Red Shallots
- Add the minced red shallots and stir-fry for , until the oil smells sweet and fragrant.
- 07
Add the Garlic
- Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for , just until fragrant.
- 08
Caramelize the Rock Sugar
- Push the pork to one side of the pan. Add the rock sugar to the open space and heat until it melts, bubbles, and turns into a light caramel, then toss the pork through the caramel so each strip is evenly coated.
- 09
Add the Soy Sauce
- Pour in the light soy sauce and stir-fry briefly until the sauce becomes aromatic.
- 10
Braise with Eggs
- Pour in the remaining 25 ml rice wine and enough water to just cover the pork. Add the white pepper powder, five-spice powder, star anise, bay leaves, and prepared eggs. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and braise for , stirring every . If the pot looks dry, add 100 ml water and continue braising.
- 11
Reduce the Sauce
- After , turn the heat up and reduce the sauce until it is thick, glossy, and amber-colored.
- 12
Serve Over Rice
- Spoon hot cooked rice into bowls, ladle the tender braised pork and sauce over the rice, and serve with the braised eggs.
Cook's Notes
Notes
Estimated calories: 1495 kcal for the full batch.
Note Nº 01
This recipe makes about 2 to 3 servings. Adjust the amount of rice and eggs to match your appetite.
Note Nº 02
Different soy sauces vary in saltiness. Taste the braising liquid while it simmers: if it is too sweet, add a little more soy sauce; if it is too salty, add a little sugar or water.
Note Nº 03
Stir the pot every 15 minutes during the 1 hour braise to prevent sticking.
Note Nº 04
For easier cutting, chill fresh pork belly in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing. If the pork belly is frozen, thaw it at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cutting.
Note Nº 05
Note: the pork strips should be very thin, meaning the length and width should be small. Thin strips become soft and sticky more easily during braising.
Note Nº 06
The original notes repeated red shallots in two consecutive stir-fry steps; the second aromatic step has been interpreted as garlic based on the ingredient list.
Note Nº 07
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