Recently in Chasing Mango Terrace's "Chinese Restaurant", Zhang Liang, a former chef, is the head chef, and every dish he cooks is well received by diners. In one episode of the show, Zhang Liang's braised pork rice was recognized by the picky third-generation descendant of Taiwan's "braised pork rice family" and he also revealed a few secret recipes.

After seeing the braised pork rice made by Zhang Liang, my foodie heart is about to start again, and I can’t wait to go to Taiwan to have a bowl of authentic braised pork rice. Fragrant and fluffy rice, paired with a spoonful of soft-skinned, fragrant and juicy braised pork, and a delicious braised egg, it’s Taiwanese braised pork rice.

The origin of braised pork rice

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Rumor has it that braised pork rice originated in Shandong, and the word Shandong was abbreviated as Lu, so it was originally called "Lu Pork Rice" . Then in Taiwan, it was mistakenly written as "braised pork rice" by the locals. Over time, it became unrealistic and the current braised pork rice was born. As for where it originated, there are different opinions on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and no one wants to delve into it. After all, as long as it is delicious, it is enough.

In the northern and southern regions of Taiwan, braised pork rice has different meanings. In northern Taiwan, braised pork rice is a dish topped with white rice containing cooked minced pork and soy sauce marinade. Sometimes the sauce also contains ingredients such as diced mushrooms. This practice is called "braised pork rice" in southern Taiwan. Pork rice."

The so-called "braised pork rice" in southern Taiwan refers to the "braised pork rice" with three layers of braised pork. Taiwan's braised pork rice marinade is generally used continuously, but the main ingredients are constantly added. The older the marinade is, the more fragrant it becomes and the taste is particularly strong.

The criteria for a wonderful bowl of braised pork rice

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It is actually not easy to make braised pork rice unpalatable. , after all, pork belly and soy sauce are a wonderful combination. But it takes a lot of effort to be able to call it a bowl of excellent braised pork rice that makes people want to have another bowl.

To make braised pork, it is best to use skin-on pork belly that is equal parts fat and lean. In order to remove the greasiness of the pork, the pork belly needs to be boiled in water to remove blood foam impurities. Cut the meat into small strips. The fat, leanness, and skin should all be on that strip. Do not mince the meat. When you grind meat, you can't taste the crystals of fat meat, it has been ground into oil and water; you can't taste the elasticity of lean meat, it has been ground into firewood residue.

There is also another important ingredient for removing the fishiness and greasiness of pork - shallots, which are also an indispensable raw material for making Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice. Shallots are shaped like onions, about the size of a ping pong ball, and have a strong spicy flavor.

When making braised pork rice, the red onion crisp fried slowly over low heat is the soul of the braised pork rice. Add the red onion crispy meat and fry it, then add it to the stock and cook it slowly and carefully. The flavor of the onions has completely penetrated into the soup after a long period of cooking. This way, the braised meat sauce will be more flavorful and the layers of flavor will be much richer. Just smelling the attractive aroma is enough to make people irresistible.

The marinade does not taste the best just after it comes out of the pot. It needs to be left for a few hours to allow the diced meat to fully absorb the soup, so that the flavor can be called full. This kind of stew is called Lao stew, and it has a richer and richer taste.

There is a particular way to eat braised pork rice

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Eating braised pork rice seems simple, but it is actually very complicated. Be particular about it. First of all, after the braised pork and marinade are poured over the white rice and mixed well, no fat can be seen, and the white rice can fully absorb the oil and sauce before eating. The rice bowl is considered qualified if there is absolutely no residual oil stains in the rice bowl.

Secondly, the authentic Taiwanese braised pork rice will also come with some special pickled vegetables such as pickled radish and pickled cucumber. One mouthful is fresh and the other is sour and salty. The taste in the mouth comes from the oily aroma of the gravy and the pickled vegetables. Switching back and forth between the refreshing ones, your appetite will naturally double.

If you add a bowl of hot pig blood soup at this time, the pores all over the body will be fully opened, and every cell will be extremely comfortable. The so-called hearty and dripping is nothing more than that.

For a bowl of braised pork rice, there is no need to pair it with other fried foods. The philosophy of life is probably like this, like a pot of marinade waiting to be cooked, you need to be able to endure it and endure it before it enters the stomach, then enters the heart, and finally reaps the surprising delicious food.

Homemade Braised Pork Rice

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250g pork belly丨5 cloves minced garlic丨1.5 tablespoons rock sugar

2 cups of water丨5 tablespoons light soy sauce丨0.5 tablespoons dark soy sauce

0.5 teaspoon of allspice | 0.5 teaspoon of white pepper

0.5 teaspoon of salt | 3 hard-boiled eggs | 3 servings of rice

>>>> Steps

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1. Prepare all the seasonings, mince the garlic, and Boil the eggs and put them in cold water and set aside.

2. Cut the pork belly into strips, blanch it in cold water, skim off the foam after the water boils, rinse the pork belly, take it out and set aside.

3. Put oil in the pot, heat the oil slightly and add minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.

4. Add the freshly blanched pork belly and fry the green onions together.

5. Add white pepper, allspice, salt, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and water, then add rock sugar and stir to avoid the rock sugar sticking to the pot.

6. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn to low heat and simmer. It is recommended to leave a gap in the pot lid to prevent the heat from escaping. Stir with a shovel for about ten minutes to ensure that the rock sugar is completely melted.

7. Add the hard-boiled eggs at 20-30 minutes and continue to simmer over low heat until the meat becomes soft and tasty.

8. Simmer for about 60 minutes, stirring every ten minutes. During this period, the rice can be steamed.

9. When the soup is very thick, turn off the heat and leave some soup for rice.

10. Pour a bowl of rice over the braised pork, cut the eggs in half and serve on the plate. If you are more particular, you can add blanched rapeseed as a garnish.

Of course, you can also make some modifications according to your own taste, such as adding mushrooms and potatoes, which are highly recommended. As for what is authentic and what is not authentic, it varies from person to person. As long as the person who enjoys it feels delicious, that is the original intention of food.

About the author

Pang Dasu, a food content operator. Work hard to eat and drink, and dedicate your youth to the small wine table.