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Braised Porkbelly Rice Rou Zao Fan

A classic Taiwanese dish, Braised Pork Rice, this is Taiwanese soul food served in a bowl with a spoon of course.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Asian, Taiwanese
Keyword: Pork Belly, Rice Bowl, Rou Zao Fan, Taiwanese

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skin-on boneless pork belly 900 grams
  • 1 tablespoon canola or soybean oil
  • 3 garlic cloves

Sauce

  • 2 ½ cups water or low sodium chicken broth
  • ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 ½ tablespoons coarse raw sugar such as demerara
  • 2 tablespoons Taiwanese soy paste in a pinch, use oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Taiwanese rice wine michiu or cooking sake
  • ½ cup fried shallots store-bought, or homemade, see post

Accoutrements

  • Cooked short-grain rice for serving
  • Ground white pepper
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • choice of greens, ie. bok choy, broccoli, steamed

Instructions

  • Freeze the pork belly until partially frozen, about 1 hour. This make it much easier to cut. Dice the pork belly into 1⁄4-inch (6-millimeter) cubes.
  • In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the diced pork belly. Cook, stirring often, until the pinkish color of the meat is gone and the fat begins to render a bit, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the water, soy sauce, sugar, soy paste, rice wine and shallots.
  • Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce flame to simmer over very low heat, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Stir occasionally, until the pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender, 1½ to 2 hours.
  • If the braising liquid is reducing too fast and beginning to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pot, add up to 1⁄4 cup (60 milliliters) more water. The pork is done when it’s soft and tender. Season with white pepper to taste.
  • To serve, scoop approximately 1/4-1/3 cup of the finished braised pork belly over a bowl of cooked rice. Serve with steamed bok choy or greens of choice. Cucumber salad is also a nice side.

Notes

To make a more richer version of this dish, use low-sodium chicken stock instead of water. This dish tastes better with time like many stews or braises. 
Make a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.  Skim and discard the white layer of fat that has accumulated on top and reheat over medium-low heat until it is heated through. Add more water if the sauce seems too thick.