When it comes to food, I am a voracious eater (especially when it comes to eating meat). This could be any type of meat: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and any other type of meat you can think of. As long as the meat is prepared with loving care and attention, most likely, the dish will taste exquisitely. The dish that comes to my mind instantly when I think of meat dishes in Taiwan is braised beef over rice.
Braised beef over rice, or ”Lurou fan” is so popular in Taiwan that it has been recognized as a true symbol of Taiwan. A great-tasting bowl of braised beef over rice consists of finely chopped pork belly, cooked slowly to perfection as the soy sauce with 5-spices gets absorbed in the inside layers of the beef. The tenderness of the beef is indescribable; there is just no other substitute for it. The combination of slightly sweet and salty flavors creates an amazing feeling that stimulates the mind indefinitely. The dish is topped off with fresh, finely cut scallion and bright-yellow pickled radish that tastes sweet and crunchy. When the dish is topped off with white rice on the bottom of the bowl, you anticipate the first bite like it’s nothing you have ever tasted before in your life.
At one hotel that I stayed at with family, they had braised beef contained in a slow-cooking pot that settled just perfectly. When I poured the meat over the white rice, it created a perfect combinati0n of sauce and rice that tasted phenomenally. For those who have not tried Lurou fan before, there is just no way for them to understand. Braised beef over rice has a fan club that is esoteric in every way possible. Do not be discouraged if you try and make the dish and it comes out too saucy or not thick enough. Many people have stated that it is far too difficult to make the beef sauce that complements the rice, but practice will eventually solve the problem. Being persistent in your efforts can only help you improve as a cook and a person!
My mom had first introduced me to her version of the dish during elementary school. I came home from school and began my homework as usual, but the special smell that came wafting up the stairs was not familiar to me. When it was time for dinner, I was unsure of what to expect out of the dish I had not yet eaten before. Luckily for me, it was the most mouth-watering and tasty meal I had in my earlier school years. My mom continues to cook braised pork over rice for dinner and whenever she does, I am just as excited as I was when I was in elementary school. My brother and sister can both vouch for me when I say that braised beef over rice is as delicious and pleasing as it appears in pictures.
That braised beef looks delicious. It seems the dishes in Taiwan are very abstract and are made with great intention for people to be pleased after eating them.
This is making me hungry! I have never had it over rice, but I have had it with an Italian spin over tortellini. Regardless, this is one of my favorites too!
I am already kind of hungry and I love meat over rice so this looks and sounds so good. I want some now
This sounds like a very interesting dish, I hope to be able to try it some day. I come from a Cuban family and we have a dish that is similar in principle. It is called “Picadillo” which basically consists of ground beef with olives and raisins topped over rice.
I love tasting new dishes. I hope one day i’ll be able to see that in a menu when I go out to eat at a restaurant. It looks very tasty and sounds delicious.
Although I don’t eat beef, this seems like a really popular Taiwanese dish. I really enjoy chicken dishes. I have never tried any Taiwanese dishes before, but after seeing your posts I feel like I should definitely try some in the future!
That looks so good! I myself am a food lover. I love to eat and that Taiwanese dish looks amazing. I grew up on rice and meat because I’m Jamaican. Thanks for sharing.