Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Pork Rice Bowl, 卤肉饭)

Heat up oil over medium heat. Add sliced shallots. Fry until they become golden and crispy. Drain through a sieve. Set the shallots aside for later use. The oil can be used in other dishes (see note 2 to learn how).

Cut pork belly into strips. Put into an empty wok (without oil) over medium-high heat. Fry until some fat has been extracted and the meat browns slightly. Stir in garlic and rock sugar. Fry until fragrant and the sugar has melted.

Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, five-spice powder, white pepper, diced shiitake mushroom, fried shallots (leave some for topping) and hard-boiled eggs.

Pour in the water in which the mushrooms were soaked. Top up with more water to immerse the meat completely.

Bring it to a full boil. Turn the heat down to the lowest. Cover with the lid and leave to simmer for at least 1 hour until the pork becomes very tender (check the water level halfway through and top up if it seems too dry). This step can be done in a stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot. Adjust time accordingly.

If there is still quite a bit of liquid left, turn the heat to high and cook uncovered to reduce its volume and thicken (Do not dry it out though as you’d need some liquid to serve with the meat).

Put freshly cooked rice in serving bowls. Top with blanched vegetable and halved eggs. Then spoon the pork, along with some thickened broth, over the rice. Add the rest of the fried shallots. Serve immediately.

Once the pork cools completely, store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to three day or two months in the freezer.

Reheat over low heat (defrost first if frozen) until piping hot. If necessary, add a little water to help to heat the pork thoroughly.