Braised Pork Rice

        When it comes to Taiwanese folk cuisine, “braised pork rice” is always on my favorite list. It is so common and popular that you can find it almost from every street vendor and local restaurant in Taiwan. Topped with savory meat sauce, translucent white steamed rice accompanies the tantalizing aroma and delectable tastes. Braised pork rice is purely and simply a feast for your eyes, nose and stomach!

        In Chinese, braised pork rice is written as “滷肉飯”, with Mandarin pronunciation “lǔ-ròu-fàn”, or Taiwanese pronunciation “lóo-bah-pn̄g”. The term “滷” refers to boil or stew with soy sauce as seasoning. But you can usually see “滷” incorrectly replaced by the character “魯” on the menus. Two wrongs make a right -- nowadays the two homophones are both acceptable. 

        In addition to variant characters, “滷肉飯” comprises regional differences. In northern Taiwan, “滷肉飯” means rice with braised ground/minced pork sauce, while people in the southern of Taiwan call it “肉燥飯”.  On the other hand, in southern Taiwan, "滷肉飯" means rice with braised pork belly, which is called “肉燥飯” in northern Taiwan. The major difference is whether the pork is minced or not. In fact, what I refer to in this post is "滷肉飯" with northern meaning.

Northern name: 滷肉飯 (lóo-bah-pn̄g) -- braised pork rice

Southern name: 肉燥飯 (bah-sò-pn̄g) -- minced pork rice

photo credits to: lohas.pixnet.net/
     

                      

Northern name: 炕肉飯 (khòng-bah-pn̄g) -- soy-stewed pork rice

Southern name: 滷肉飯 (lóo-bah-pn̄g) -- braised pork rice

photo credits to: newsblog.chinatimes.com/leafphoto/

        The video clip below gives a vivid explanation (or debate~) to the regional differences of Taiwanese foods:

        It is quite easy to prepare this delicious dish by yourself. All you have to do is stir-fry the ground pork with sliced shallot in oil, bring the mixture to a boil, and then simmer it for hours. And don’t forget the most crucial condiment -- soy sauce. The quality of soy sauce can determine the savor of braised pork rice. Stir the sauce occasionally while simmering in order to thicken it moderately. You may also need some spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, etc.) to make unique flavor. Here is a recipe with a complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions. If you don't feel like cooking, eating outside is OK. Only pay NT$30 and you can enjoy an medium-sized bowl of braised pork rice in the basement of Men's 1st Dorm, NTU. Just give it a try!

photo credits to: hewoksoflife.com/