Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

Ingredients

• Shallots (Scallion bulbs)
• Pork belly with skin (Can be substituted with ground pork)
• Eggs (Optional)
• Cooking oil
• Light Soy Sauce
• Cooking wine/sake (Can be substituted with Shaoxing wine)
• Garlic
• Bay leaf
• Star anise
• Rock sugar/Candy sugar
• White pepper powder
• Five-spice powder (Optional)
• Rice

Steps

1. Cut the pork belly with skin into thin strips measuring $0.7cm (length) \times 0.7cm (width) \times 2.5cm (height)$.
2. Finely mince the shallots and garlic, set aside.
3. Boil eggs, peel them, and cut the whites with a knife (to help them absorb flavor). Set aside.
4. **High heat**: Heat the pan, add 15 ml of cooking oil, swirling to coat the bottom. Wait 5 seconds for the oil to warm up slightly.
5. The purpose of the oil is to prevent the pork belly from sticking to the pan when it first goes in.
6. Add the pork belly strips, stir-fry until the color turns slightly white. Pour 10 ml of cooking wine along the edge of the pan. Continue stir-frying until no more oil comes out of the pork.
7. Add the minced shallots to the pan, stir-fry for 1 minute to burst and release the fragrant oil aroma.
8. Add the minced shallots to the pan, stir-fry for 30 seconds.
9. Push the pork to the side of the pan. Add the rock sugar and heat until it melts, bubbles, and turns into caramel. Mix the pork back in so the caramel coats it evenly.
10. Add light soy sauce and stir-fry to release the aroma.
11. Pour in 25 ml of cooking wine. Add water until it covers the pork. Add white pepper, five-spice powder, star anise, bay leaf, and boiled eggs. Bring to a boil, then turn to low heat to braise for 1 hour.
12. Note: Different brands of soy sauce vary in saltiness. Be sure to taste the sauce while braising. If it is too sweet, add more soy sauce; if too salty, add a little sugar or water.
13. During the braising process on low heat, stir and check every 15 minutes to prevent sticking.
14. If the sauce looks too dry, add 100 ml of water and continue braising.
15. After 1 hour, turn the heat up to high**. Reduce the sauce until it is thick and glossy amber in color. It is ready.
16. Scoop a bowl of rice. Pour the soft, tender braised pork over the rice, and add the marinated egg. Enjoy!