Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Pork Belly
• 6 oz Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
• 3 medium Shallots
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup Rice Wine
• 2 tbsp Rock Sugar
• 1 tsp Five-Spice Powder
• 4 cups Water
• 4 cups Cooked Rice

Instructions

1. 1Place the 6 oz of dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, or until they feel soft and pliable. Carefully lift the mushrooms out of the water, squeezing gently to remove excess liquid. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any grit; you will use this later. Chop the softened 6 oz shiitake mushrooms into roughly 1/2-inch pieces.
2. 2Cut the 2 lbs of pork belly into uniform 1-inch cubes. Peel and finely mince the 3 medium shallots and the 4 cloves of garlic.
3. 3Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (400°F / 200°C). Add the 2 lbs of pork belly cubes to the dry pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes, until the pork belly is browned on all sides and has rendered some of its fat. Do not overcrowd the pot; cook in batches if necessary.
4. 4Add the minced 3 medium shallots and 4 cloves of garlic to the pot with the browned pork belly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the shallots and garlic are fragrant and slightly softened. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
5. 5Stir in the chopped 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine, 2 tbsp rock sugar, 1 tsp five-spice powder, and the reserved 4 cups of shiitake mushroom soaking liquid. Stir everything together to combine.
6. 6Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat (400°F / 200°C). Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low (250°F / 120°C), cover the pot tightly with a lid, and let it simmer gently for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the pork belly is exceptionally tender when pierced with a fork. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. 7Serve the tender braised pork and its sauce generously over the 4 cups of cooked rice.

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