Heartwarming and typically consumed in cooler months, this lamb hot pot is stewed in a hot pot with vegetables and Chinese herbal ingredients, including old ginger, angelica root, astragalus root, processed rehmannia root, Chinese cassia, goji berry, and Szechwan lovage rhizome (a herb used to promote healthy blood flow). Consumed as a kind of ‘food […]
READ MORETaiwanese-Style Lamb Hot Pot
Hakka-Style Stir Fry with Pork Belly and SquidKejia Xiaochao
Colloquially referred to as Hakka stir fry, this dish is a traditional Hakka dish that was originally the brainchild of frugal Hakka housekeepers wanting to feed their family. These resourceful people took leftover food and stir fried it up into a wholesome dish. Today the basic ingredients of this tasty dish include pork belly, soaked […]
READ MOREBitter Melon Soup with Chicken and PineappleFengli Kugua Ji
Apart from flavor there is often a rhyme and reason to dishes emanating from Taiwan. How else can the famous Hakka dish bitter melon soup with chicken and pineapple. A mouthful to say, let alone eat, this unique combination of ingredients – pineapple, bitter melon and chicken – is popular during summer because of its […]
READ MOREDin Tai Fung Steamed BunsXiao Long Bao
Xiao long bao is a small steamed bun filled with mince and juicy broth. It is a universal favorite and a longstanding traditional Chinese staple that originated during the period of the Qing dynasty. There are as many versions of Xiao Long Bao as there are outlets that sell them, so don’t just try them […]
READ MORESquid and Sea Snails Soup with Green GarlicYouyu Luorou Suan
Feeling adventurous and wanting to immerse yourself in Taiwanese cuisine? Then this classic Taiwanese dish is a must. Frequently on the menu of Chinese New Year banquets, its three key ingredients are squid, sea snails, and green garlic. The dried squid is rehydrated for over eight hours prior to being added to the precooked pork […]
READ MORESteamed Sticky Rice with Mud CrabHong Xun Mi Gao
If you happen to be in Taiwan for Chinese New Year, or a guest at a local wedding, expect the banquet to round out with this famous Taiwanese dish: steamed sticky rice with mud crab. Deeply entrenched in Taiwanese culture, this dish originated in the south of the island. Aside from cleaning the mud crabs, […]
READ MORETaiwanese Beef Noodle SoupNiu Rou Mian
Not nearly as spicy as its Sichuan counterpart, and simmered for many hours, the Taiwan incarnation of beef noodle soup is more like ramen beloved by the Japanese. Taiwan beef noodle soup is a dish that is the result of many influences, elements, and cooking methods from different cuisines. The method of braising found in […]
READ MORETaiwanese-Style Ginger Duck StewJiang Mu Ya
A traditional dish with both healing and nourishing benefits, Jiang Mu Ya, or ginger duck stew, is a popular winter dish in Taiwan. Made with duck, ginger, sesame oil and high alcohol rice wine, Jiang Mu Ya not only fills an empty tummy, but also warms the soul. Made as a hot pot, you will […]
READ MORETaiwanese Preserved Radish OmeletCai Fu Dan
Preserved (or dried) radish is a staple in the diet of people in Taiwan, and one popular way to savor this traditional ingredient is in cai fu dan, a preserved radish omelet. Like many dishes from this lovely island, Cai Fu Dan is simple and quick to prepare. A traditional Hakka classic, this omelet is […]
READ MORETaiwanese Braised Pork Rice BowlLu Rou Fan
Synonymous with Taiwan, Lu Rou Fan could almost be considered the island’s most iconic dish. Simple yet flavorsome, Lu Rou Fan is popular, not least for its combination of ground pork that is braised in a wonderful combination of soy sauce, five-spice powder, and rice wine. Served either with rice or noodles, and occasionally a […]
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