Tender, glossy braised pork in a star anise-scented sauce is spooned over hot rice. This Taiwanese family staple, known as lu rou fan, is protein-rich and deeply comforting.
Trim excess skin from the pork belly and dice into 1/2-inch cubes for uniform texture.
Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat and render pork belly cubes until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Scoop out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
Add finely chopped onion, ginger slices, and smashed garlic to the pork; sauté on medium-low heat until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Stir in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, star anise, and white pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 2 minutes until aromatic.
Pour in water. Bring to a boil, skim off impurities, then reduce to very low heat. Cover and simmer gently for 60–80 minutes until pork becomes tender and sauce is glossy.
Remove ginger and star anise. Serve hot pork mixture generously over bowls of fluffy cooked rice.