Taiwanese pork rice, commonly called lu rou fan, is a bowl of rice topped with pork braised in a savory, lightly sweet soy sauce. This quicker version uses ground pork, fried shallots, garlic, and warm spices, so it brings the familiar rich flavor to the table without a long braise; recipes vary across Taiwan and from household to household.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (285 g) short- or medium-grain white rice
- 1½ cups (355 ml) water for the rice, or the amount indicated by your rice cooker
- 1½ lb (680 g) ground pork, preferably not extra-lean
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral cooking oil, only if needed
- 2 large shallots (about 100 g), finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves (about 9 g), minced
- ⅓ cup (20 g) crispy fried shallots
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) Chinese five-spice powder
- ¼ teaspoon (about 0.5 g) ground white pepper
- 1 cup (240 ml) water for the pork
- ½ cup (70 g) pickled mustard greens, rinsed and chopped, optional for serving
- 2 scallions (about 30 g), thinly sliced, optional for serving
Shaoxing wine adds a mellow, savory aroma. If it is difficult to find, use an equal amount of dry sherry; for an alcohol-free version, use water or unsalted chicken broth instead, with a slightly less complex flavor. Crispy fried shallots are a convenient source of the dish’s sweet, toasted shallot character. If they are unavailable, finely chop one extra shallot and cook it with the fresh shallots until deeply golden; the topping will be softer and less crunchy.
Instructions
- Prepare the rice and ingredients. Rinse the rice in a bowl or fine-mesh strainer, changing the water until it is less cloudy, then drain well. Add it to a rice cooker with the rice-cooking water and start the cooker. While it runs, finely chop the shallots, mince the garlic, measure the sauce ingredients, and rinse and chop the optional mustard greens. If cooking rice on the stovetop, use a covered pot and follow the package directions; keep the cooked rice covered until serving.
- Brown the pork. Set a large, wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, breaking it into small pieces with a sturdy spoon. Cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring and turning the meat, until most pieces have browned and any released liquid has mostly cooked away. If the pork is very lean and the pan looks dry, add the teaspoon of oil. Leave a little rendered fat in the pan for flavor, but spoon off excess if there is a large pool.
- Cook the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped fresh shallots and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant; avoid letting it scorch. Add the crispy fried shallots, soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, five-spice powder, and white pepper. Stir until the pork is coated and the sugar dissolves into the pan juices.
- Simmer until saucy. Pour in 1 cup (240 ml) water and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat so it bubbles softly. Simmer uncovered for about 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should reduce to a glossy, spoonable sauce that clings to the pork, rather than disappearing completely. Add a small splash of water if it becomes dry before the rice is ready.
- Check the pork and season. Use an instant-read food thermometer to check the ground pork in several spots; USDA FSIS sets 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for ground meat. If it has not reached that temperature, keep simmering and check again. Taste the sauce once the pork is safely cooked. Add a splash of water if it is too salty or concentrated, or a little more soy sauce if it tastes flat; the rice will mellow the seasoning.
- Build the bowls. Fluff the rice with a fork or rice paddle and divide it among four bowls. Spoon the pork and its sauce generously over each portion. Add pickled mustard greens and sliced scallions if using, and serve while hot. Keep any extra sauce in the pan and let diners add it to taste.
The rice cooker and pork cook at the same time, so the 30-minute cook estimate is the elapsed cooking time rather than the sum of both appliances’ cycles. Rice cooker programs vary; if yours takes longer than 30 minutes, use its actual cycle time as the total cooking time. The pork can simmer gently while the rice finishes, but keep the pan on low heat and add a spoonful of water if the sauce thickens too much.
Tips
Choose pork with some fat. Ground pork that is not extra-lean gives the sauce a rounded texture and stays more tender during simmering. If you only have lean ground pork, use the measured oil and watch the pan closely so the aromatics do not catch. Drain excess rendered fat, but do not remove every trace; a little fat helps carry the spices and coat the rice.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can reduce the sauce too quickly and leave the pork tasting salty before it has had time to absorb the aromatics. Look for small, steady bubbles and stir every few minutes, especially around the edges. The finished topping should be moist and glossy, not soupy, but it should still have enough sauce to flavor the rice.
Adjust the seasoning at the end. Soy sauce brands differ in saltiness, and dark soy sauce mainly adds color and a deeper, slightly sweet note. Start with the listed amounts, then taste with a little plain rice before making changes. If the pork tastes intense by itself, that is often appropriate because it is meant to season a larger bed of rice.
Make the topping ahead, not the rice too far ahead. The pork can be cooked earlier in the day and refrigerated promptly, then reheated gently with a spoonful of water. Rice is best freshly cooked for its texture. If you need to store cooked rice, cool it promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate it within two hours rather than leaving it in the cooker at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Serve each bowl with a generous layer of plain rice and enough pork sauce to seep between the grains. Short- or medium-grain rice is pleasantly tender and slightly cohesive, making it easy to pick up with chopsticks or a spoon. A bowl of soup, such as a simple clear vegetable soup, can round out the meal without competing with the savory topping. Keep side dishes lightly seasoned because the pork already brings soy, sweetness, and spice.
Pickled mustard greens are a particularly useful contrast: their tang and gentle crunch cut through the richness of the pork. Rinse them first if they are very salty, and serve them on the side or in a small mound beside the meat. Sliced scallions add freshness. Blanched greens such as bok choy or Chinese broccoli also work well; cook them separately until just tender and set them beside the rice rather than stirring them into the pork sauce.
For a more substantial bowl, add a halved hard-boiled egg or a few slices of cucumber. These are serving ideas rather than required parts of the recipe. If adding an egg, cook it until the yolk and white are firm, then peel and halve it. Put toppings on just before serving so crisp or fresh ingredients keep their texture.
Variations
Use minced mushrooms. Replace about 4 ounces (115 g) of the pork with finely chopped shiitake or cremini mushrooms. Brown the mushrooms first so their moisture can evaporate, then add the pork and continue with the recipe. Dried shiitakes can also be used after soaking and chopping; a spoonful of their strained soaking liquid can replace the same amount of water, adding a deeper mushroom flavor.
Make it with pork belly. For a closer match to versions made with small pieces of pork, use about 1½ lb (680 g) boneless pork belly, cut into small, even pieces, in place of the ground pork. Brown it thoroughly and expect a longer simmer, often 45–60 minutes, until the pieces are tender; add water as needed and verify that the meat reaches the safe temperature for whole cuts of pork. This is richer but is no longer the quick version, so allow extra time.
Change the heat or sweetness. The recipe is gently spiced rather than hot. Add chili oil at the table or stir in a small amount of chili crisp near the end if you want heat. For a less sweet sauce, reduce the brown sugar to 2 teaspoons (about 8 g); for a sweeter profile, add another teaspoon after tasting. Keep the soy sauce steady at first because reducing the sugar can make the salt more noticeable.
Make a gluten-free bowl. Use certified gluten-free tamari in place of both soy sauces, checking that the dark-style seasoning and any prepared fried shallots are also gluten-free. Tamari may taste a little different and can vary in saltiness, so taste the finished sauce before adding extra. Shaoxing wine is usually made from rice, but check its label and use water or a suitable dry sherry substitute if needed.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover pork and rice within two hours of cooking, preferably in separate shallow, covered containers so they cool more quickly and are easy to portion. Properly refrigerated cooked pork and rice keep for 3–4 days. Do not leave the pork topping or cooked rice at room temperature overnight. If you will not use the leftovers within that window, freeze them in airtight portions; for best texture, use within about 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat. Warm the pork in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring until steaming throughout, or microwave it covered in short intervals, stirring between intervals. Reheat rice with a teaspoon or two of water and cover it so the grains do not dry out. USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Do not reheat the same portion repeatedly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as traditional lu rou fan? It is a quick, ground-pork interpretation of Taiwanese lu rou fan, a familiar rice dish whose pork is simmered with soy-based seasonings. Some versions use finely chopped or minced pork, while others use small chunks of pork belly and simmer them longer. The ground-pork method is designed to be weeknight-friendly, and it should not be taken as the only regional or household version.
Can I use ground turkey or chicken? Yes, although the topping will be leaner and less rich than one made with pork. Use a little oil to brown it, and keep the sauce moist with a splash of water if needed. Ground poultry must reach 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer, rather than the 160°F (71°C) minimum for ground pork. Taste before adding extra soy sauce because lean poultry may absorb the sauce differently.
What can I use instead of Shaoxing wine? Dry sherry is a practical one-for-one substitute and gives a similar rounded aroma. If you prefer not to use alcohol, replace it with water or unsalted broth; the result will still be savory, though it will lack some of the wine’s fragrance. Avoid sweet cooking wines unless you reduce the brown sugar, since they can make the sauce overly sweet.
Can I make the pork topping in advance? Yes. Cook it fully, cool it in a shallow container, and refrigerate it within two hours. It will keep for 3–4 days refrigerated. Reheat the amount you need with a splash of water until it reaches 165°F (74°C), then serve over freshly cooked rice if possible. The sauce may firm up when cold because of the fat; gentle heating and stirring will loosen it.
Why is my sauce too salty or too thin? If it is too salty, add a little water and serve it over more plain rice; a small pinch of sugar can soften the sharpness, but it will not remove the salt. If it is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes, stirring so the bottom does not scorch. If it has reduced too far, loosen it with water a tablespoon at a time. Keep in mind that the sauce should be concentrated enough to season the rice.
Can I cook this without a rice cooker? Yes. Use a covered saucepan and the water ratio and timing recommended on your rice package, since rice varieties and pots differ. Bring the rice and water to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until tender; let it stand covered for the package’s recommended resting period before fluffing. Start the rice first, then make the pork so both are ready close together.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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