Zhu Tong Fan Taiwanese Bamboo Rice Food

BAMBOO RICE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil.
• Add rice and bring back to boiling.
• Stir, cover, reduce heat to low.
• Simmer 12-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5-10 minutes.
• Fluff with fork and serve.

LU ROU FAN (TAIWANESE BRAISED PORK RICE BOWL)

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil (just enough so that the pork will be fully submerged), and blanch the chopped pork belly for 1 minute. Drain, rinse clean of any scum, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok over low heat, and add the sugar. Cook the sugar until it starts to melt and then add the onions. Turn up the heat to medium high and stir-fry the onions for a minute. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for another couple minutes.
• Add the blanched pork, shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and water. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the spices (which should be tied in cheese cloth), along with the peeled hardboiled eggs and turn the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• At this point the meat should be fall-apart tender. To finish the dish, remove the spice packet and turn up the heat to medium high to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. This process should take about 5-minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, but there should still be plenty of it left. Serve over steamed white rice.

ZHU TONG FAN (TAIWANESE BAMBOO RICE)

Steps:

• Wash the rice thoroughly and drain. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, place the dried mushrooms and shrimp. Pour boiling hot water over the items until covered. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, drain and then chop into fine pieces.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• In a hot wok or hot frying pan, stir-fry the pork in the vegetable oil until brown and fully cooked (5-10 minutes). Drain excess oil then add the chopped mushrooms, shrimp, soy sauce and shallots.
• Mix well and then divide the mixture between 8 large greased ramekins or pudding bowls. Press down on mixture in each bowl with a spoon.
• Add rice to greased ramekins until each one is 2/3 full. Use the spoon to press mixture down firmly. Keep adding rice until mixture is at the 2/3 full level.
• Add enough boiling water to each ramekin until level of water is 1/2 inch above level of the rice.
• Place the ramekins in a baking pan with sides and fill baking pan with boiling water to about 2 inches. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place into preheated oven.
• Cook for 30-40 minutes. Turn off oven and allow baking pan to sit in oven for an additional 10 minutes.
• Remove foil and carefully plate each ramekin by turning the rice out onto a plate or you could just serve the ramekin on a plate. Top with a little sweet chili sauce and some cilantro leaves.