Taiwanese Minced Pork Sauce

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice pork belly lengthwise into ½"-thick strips, then slice strips crosswise into ⅛"-thick pieces (or as thin as you can manage). Add pork belly to boiling water and lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, skimming any foam that rises to surface, until water is cloudy, about 5 minutes; drain. Set pork belly aside.

   Step 2

   Soak mushrooms in 3 cups hot water in a small bowl until mushrooms are soft and water is cool, 20–25 minutes. Remove mushrooms and finely chop. Reserve soaking liquid.

   Step 3

   Bring sugar and 2 Tbsp. water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Once sugar is dissolved, cook, without stirring, until syrup is light copper in color, then mix in oil, scallions, garlic, and rehydrated mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until scallions are wilted and mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Mix in pork belly, then add wine. Simmer until most of liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add ground bean sauce and mix to coat pork belly, then add soy sauce, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat so liquid is at a bare simmer and cook, stirring and pushing down on meat occasionally to break up further, until pork is tender and mixture is thickened, 1½–2 hours. (If the liquid evaporates too quickly, just thin sauce with a little more water.) Skim excess fat from surface of sauce, then pluck out and discard star anise and cinnamon sticks.

   Step 4

   Divide rice among bowls; ladle stewed pork over rice. Top each with an egg and some scallions and drizzle with chili oil.