Lo bah png facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lo bah png
(Minced pork rice)

Minced pork rice with other common Taiwanese dishes
Place of origin	Taiwan
Region or state	Taiwan
Main ingredients	ground pork, rice

Minced pork rice served with pickles

Lo bah png (also called minced pork rice) is a super popular rice dish from Taiwan. You can also find it in Southern Fujian. It's a simple but tasty meal. The main idea is always the same: yummy ground pork cooked in a special sauce, served over hot steamed rice. It's a type of gaifan dish, which just means "rice with toppings."

What's in a Name?

The name Lo bah png comes from the Chinese words for "braised meat rice." The word "Lu" (滷) means "cooking in a thick broth or sauce." So, "滷肉飯" directly means "rice with braised meat."

For a long time, many people in Taiwan started using a different Chinese character, "魯," which sounds the same. This character "魯" is actually the old name for a Chinese province called Shandong. This led to some confusion! In 2011, a travel guide even said that minced pork rice came from Shandong because of this.

This caused a big debate! Most Taiwanese people strongly believe that minced pork rice is a true symbol of Taiwan. Others thought it was a Chinese dish that became popular in Taiwan. But no matter where it truly began, it's definitely a beloved dish in Taiwan today.

How is it Made?

The secret to delicious minced pork rice is the special sauce. It's what gives the dish its amazing flavor!

Here's how it's usually made in Taiwan:

• First, ground meat (usually pork) is stir-fried in oil.
• Thinly sliced shallots are often added to the pan too.
• After frying, the meat is boiled in soy sauce.
• Chefs can add other seasonings to make it taste just right. Some common additions are sugar, rice wine, pepper, and other spices.

When the dark-brown meat sauce is ready, it's called "bah-sò" (肉燥). This yummy sauce isn't just for rice! It's also served with noodles, soups, vegetables, and many other homemade Taiwanese dishes.

Different Kinds of Lo Bah Png

Minced pork rice is a very important part of typical Taiwanese folk cuisine. But there are many ways to make it, so it tastes a bit different depending on where you are in Taiwan!

• In southern Taiwan, people often call the dish "bah-sò-pn̄g" (肉燥飯), focusing on the sauce. They usually prefer their minced pork rice with less fatty pork.
• In northern Taiwan, people like a richer, greasier version of the meat sauce. Sometimes, they even mix glutinous rice into their regular rice for a different texture.

It can get a little confusing! In southern Taiwan, you might see "bah-sò-pn̄g" on the menu for minced pork rice. But on the very same menu, "ló͘-bah-pn̄g" (滷肉飯) might refer to a different dish. This other dish has braised pork belly (larger pieces of pork) covering the rice. This same braised pork belly dish is known as "khòng-bah-pn̄g" (焢肉飯) in northern Taiwan.