Microwave Taiwanese braised pork rice (lu rou fan)
Sweet, soy-glazed pork with warm five-spice over rice with a soft egg, the Taiwanese comfort bowl that’s sticky, savory and about two and a half dollars.
- 18 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 1
- About $2.41 a serving
- 620 calories
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 1 servings.
- 4 oz ground pork
- ¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup microwave rice pouches, half an 8.8 oz pouch
- 1 baby bok choy (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp vegetable oil
Each serving has about 620 calories, 31 g protein, 48 g carbs and 34 g fat, and costs about $2.41 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the pork into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel, and microwave 2 minutes.
Crumble. Crumbling means breaking food into small, rough bits with your fingers or a spoon, like feta or ground meat in the pan. Small bits spread through the dish, so there’s some in every bite.
How you’ll know: The pieces are small and uneven, about pea-size, with no big clumps left.
Timer: 2 min
Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Break the meat into fine crumbs with the fork and microwave 1 to 2 minutes more, until no pink is left anywhere.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Food safety: Ground beef, pork and lamb are done at 160°F. When it’s cooked through there’s no pink left anywhere in the pan.
Tip the bowl over a wad of paper towel to pour off the fat, holding the meat back with the fork.
in the soy sauce, brown sugar, five-spice, garlic powder and water.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Dolly’s tip: Five-spice is strong. A quarter teaspoon gives that warm, sweet Taiwanese smell without tasting like perfume.Cover and microwave 2 minutes, stir, then microwave uncovered 1 minute, until the sauce is sticky and clings to the meat.
Timer: 2 min
Crack the egg into a mug rubbed with the oil, prick the yolk, cover, and microwave at 50% power for 1 to 1½ minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is still soft.
Timer: 1 min 15 sec
Dolly’s tip: Always prick a yolk before it goes in the microwave, or steam can make it pop.Food safety: Soft yolks are a small risk. If you’re pregnant, or cooking for small children or older people, cook the eggs until the yolks are firm, or use pasteurized eggs.
Pull the bok choy leaves apart, them, and microwave them in a covered mug with of water for 1½ minutes.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Splash. A splash is a small, quick pour, about a teaspoon to a tablespoon. It’s there to loosen or brighten a dish, so the exact amount doesn’t matter.
How you’ll know: The dish looks a little looser or tastes a little brighter, not soupy.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Heat the rice in its pouch as the package says, usually 90 seconds, put half in a bowl, and top with the pork, egg and bok choy.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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