February 23, 2021

Pork Chop Rice (Pai Gu Fan)

Growing up, the other kids my age on the street were Taiwanese. After school, their moms would bring us bian dangs (lunch/bento boxes) that they’d pick up from neighborhood Taiwanese cafes. Pai Gu Fan was always one of them. Thinking about those boxes makes me smile – I miss them!

My take on Taiwanese Pai Gu Fan, pork chop over rice, uses cornstarch instead of the more traditional sweet potato starch but still gives it a nice crust. More importantly, I’m obsessed with the flavor the marinade imparts on the pork.

Ingredients:

  • 2 boneless pork chops (~1 lb)
  • neutral cooking oil (vegetable, canola)
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch

Marinade:

  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper powder
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
  • salt to taste

To serve: rice, sautéed veg, soft-boiled egg

Directions:

  • Mix the marinade and set aside. Feel free to taste test here and adjust the marinade to your preference, I find that I don’t need any additional salt but every soy sauce varies slightly in saltiness)
  • Trim the pork chops (I usually just trim off the large fatty areas). Depending on the thickness of your pork chop, cut in half ~3/4 inch thickness. If you want smaller pieces, slice the chop all the way through. If you want a larger piece, do not cut all the way through and instead butterfly the pork chop loin (start slicing from the fatty side and stop slicing when you’re about 1/4 inch from the end).
  • Cut ~1 inch slits along the sides of the pork chop, about an inch a part from each other. Do this on both sides of the pork chop. This prevents it from curling during the frying process.
  • Pound both sides of the pork using a meat tenderizer or the back of a knife until the pork is ~1/4 inch thick.
  • Put into a bowl or bag and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for an hour.
  • Remove pork from the marinade and toss and coat with cornstarch
  • Heat up oil over medium heat – you want enough so that there’s a thin layer along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pan fry each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. If they’re browning too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low. (I find that adding a pinch of flour into the oil helps to reduce splatter)
  • Let rest for 5 minutes and serve with rice, veg of choice, and a soy-marinated egg if you’re feeling fancy.