Lu rou fan base
Clarissa Wei calls lu rou fan the dish that Taiwanese people miss most when they leave. It earns that. The pork belly braises until the fat turns to silk, the eggs go mahogany all the way through, and the sauce — built on caramelised shallots, dark soy, and Shaoxing — becomes something you want to put on everything. Make a full batch. Freeze half.
Ingredients · serves 2 for 5 days
Method
Cut and blanch
Cut pork into 3cm cubes — skin on, don't trim the fat. Cover with cold water in a pot, bring to a hard boil. Skim the grey foam, boil 3 minutes, drain, rinse pork and pot under cold water. This blanch removes blood and impurities; skip it and the braise turns murky.
Fry the shallots
Heat oil in a wok or wide pot over medium. Add sliced shallots and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, 12–15 minutes until deep golden and beginning to crisp. Don't rush this — the Maillard reaction happening here is building the backbone of the braise. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the oil in the pot.
Caramelise sugar, colour the pork
Add rock sugar to the oil over medium heat. Once amber and fragrant, add the blanched pork and toss to coat. The caramel gives colour; the pork fat will render into it. Add Shaoxing wine and let it sizzle off for 30 seconds.
Build and braise
Add both soys, five spice, star anise, garlic (smashed), ginger coins, fried shallots, and water. Bring to a boil, scrape the bottom, then reduce to the lowest simmer — lid on, 45 minutes.
Add eggs, finish braising
Lower in peeled eggs whole. Replace lid, braise 45 more minutes. The eggs need this long to colour and absorb — anything less and they stay pale inside.
Reduce and pack
Remove lid, raise heat to medium. Reduce sauce 8–10 minutes until glossy and coating. It should hold briefly on the back of a spoon. Cool 20 minutes before packing — hot fat in a sealed container steams and waters down the sauce.