Taiwanese Five-Spice Pork with Rice (Lu Rou Fan)
Pork, Taiwanese
Ingredients
1½ pounds ground pork
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce, divided, plus more, as needed
¼ cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
12 ounces shallots, halved and thinly sliced
10 medium garlic cloves, minced
1¼ cups dry sherry
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons five-spice powder
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
steamed rice, to serve
3 scallions, thinly sliced on bias
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix the pork with ¼ cup of the soy sauce. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until deeply browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
Add the sherry, sugar, five-spice and remaining ¾ cup soy sauce.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then increase to high and bring to a boil.
Cook, stirring, until reduced and syrupy and a spoon leaves a clear trail, about 5 minutes.
Reduce to low and allow the simmering to subside.
Add the pork, breaking it into small pieces. Cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar, then taste and add soy sauce, if needed.
Spoon steamed rice into individual bowls, top with the pork and sprinkle with scallions.