Lu Rou Fan (滷肉飯)

Looking back on the past 5 weeks of pledge quarter, I'll admit it was fun. Hanging out with my pledge siblings, getting Korean BBQ with Peter, Laura, and Steve, and many of the PhiDE events were SO enjoyable… really. But you see, I got a strike yesterday (think 'three strikes and you're out' kind of strike). My perfectionist-self kicked in and now I am rather disgruntled.

So that was my emo rant for the day. On to the food part! 滷肉飯 is an ESSENTIAL part of Taiwanese cuisine. In order to make it true Taiwanese style though, you have to use really fatty ground pork (which I didn't, because I don't like fatty foods…). I think it's really the mushrooms that give it a deeper flavor. If you just use meat, it'll just taste like… meat. Which, if you love meat, I guess is a good thing. But come on… you have to pair tastes! Pairing tastes brings out the flavors of both ingredients. Hence, don't skimp out on the mushrooms!

Lu Rou Fan (滷肉飯)

• 6 dried black shitake mushrooms
  
• 2 tbs oil
  
• 2 stalks green onions, minced
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2-3 tbs rock sugar
  
• 1 tsp five spice powder
  
• 1/3 cup rice wine
  
• 4 cups water
  
• 1 cup soy sauce
  
• 1 lb ground pork
  
• 2-3 slices ginger
  
• 3-4 tsp salt
  

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in water until they are ready to be chopped, then chop them into tiny cubes. Meanwhile, mince the green onions and garlic, and slice the ginger.
   
2. Heat oil on high heat, then add the minced garlic and half of the minced green onions, stir-fry for about 30 seconds.
   
3. Toss in the 2-3 slices of ginger, and continue stir-frying for another 30 seconds. Then add in the 1 lb of ground pork, 1 tsp of five spice powder, and the rice wine.
   
4. Break up the ground pork into little pieces, and continue stir-frying until most of the pork is browned. Pour on the soy sauce, the water, and sugar.
   
5. Let simmer for about 40 minutes, then check to see if it's salty enough. If it's not salty enough, add some salt or more soy sauce, and if it's not sweet enough, add some more sugar.
   
6. Add in the remaining half of the green onions and stir around. Simmer for another 10 minutes, then serve with rice! Or noodles, if you want.