Zha Pai Gu (台式炸排骨), or Taiwanese Fried Pork Loin (also known as pork chop), is one of the most iconic mains you’ll find in any Taiwanese bento shop. The dish is said to trace back to Japanese-style tonkatsu from the Japanese colonial era, which was gradually localised and combined with Taiwanese-style marinating and coating techniques…
Taiwanese food
Taiwanese Golden Pickle (Huang Jin Pao Cai) 台式黃金泡菜
Huang Jin Pao Cai (黃金泡菜), or Taiwanese Golden Pickle, is a distinctly Taiwanese creation, first developed in Tainan around twenty years ago. It was created to suit Taiwanese tastes, which lean away from heat and towards rich, savoury sauces and a satisfying crunch. Its defining feature is a thick, golden sauce, emulsified from ingredients like…
Taiwanese Steamed Pork with Pickled Cucumber (Guazi Rou) 台式瓜子肉
Taiwanese Steamed Pork with Pickled Cucumber, known as Guazi Rou (台式瓜子肉), is another comforting and easy-to-make dish in Taiwanese home cooking. It’s the kind of savoury, rice-soaking dish that appears on family dinner tables again and again, and one bowl of rice is rarely enough. The dish pairs minced pork with Taiwanese pickled cucumber (脆瓜…
Classic Taiwanese Tshá-bí-hún 台式炒米粉
Taiwanese Stir-Fried Rice Vermicelli, known as Tshá-bí-hún (台式炒米粉) in Taiwanese Hokkien, is one of those classic home-cooked dishes that almost every Taiwanese family makes their own way. Growing up, my grandma cooked it whenever the family gathered together, and I still remember the aroma of dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and fried shallots filling the…
Taiwanese Night Market Chicken Salad (Yan Shui Ji) 鹽水雞
Yan Shui Ji (鹽水雞) is one of Taiwan’s most popular night market dishes. Traditionally made with poached or steamed chicken, it’s tossed with a savoury dressing, garlic, spring onion, and a selection of blanched vegetables to create a light, refreshing, and high-protein meal that’s especially perfect for warmer days. There are two common ways to…
Classic Taiwanese Bí-hún Thng with Squid 台式米粉湯
Probably not the most internationally well-known Taiwanese dish, but Bí-hún Thng (台式米粉湯)—also known as Taiwanese rice vermicelli soup—is a true everyday staple in Taiwan. For many Taiwanese people, this humble bowl of rice vermicelli soup is more than just food. It represents comfort, nostalgia, and a deep sense of home. What is Bí-hún Thng 米粉湯?…
Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan) 台式滷肉飯
Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice, also known as Lu Rou Fan, is one of Taiwan’s most iconic comfort foods. This humble yet incredibly flavourful dish can be found everywhere—from street food stalls to traditional eateries across the island. With its rich, savoury sauce, melt-in-your-mouth pork, and fluffy steamed rice, Lu Rou Fan is the perfect example…
Classic Braised Pork Ribs for Lunar New Year (Gao Sheng Pai Gu) 高昇排骨
Gao Sheng Pai Gu (高昇排骨) is a classic sweet and sour braised pork rib dish made with a symbolic 1-2-3-4-5 sauce ratio. And if you’re wondering what the 1-2-3-4-5 ratio means — it refers to a rising sauce proportion. The increasing numbers represent step-by-step success and prosperity, which is why this dish is especially popular…
Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup (Ma You Ji) 台式麻油雞
If you’re craving something warming, gingery, and truly comfort-bowl worthy, this Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup (Ma You Ji / 麻油雞) is exactly what you need. It’s a slightly heartier, stew-style version of the classic sesame oil chicken you’ll find across Taiwan. Chicken is gently simmered with ginger, dried shiitake mushrooms, and Taiwanese rice cooking…
Easy Shortcut Spring Onion / Scallion Pancakes with Dumpling Wrapper Hack
If you love crispy, flaky spring onion pancakes, but don’t want to make the dough from scratch — this recipe is for you! I’m always on the lookout for smart kitchen shortcuts, and this one instantly became one of my favourites when I first tried it years ago. Recently, I wanted to share it again…