World Flavors Cookbook

Taiwan Recipes

Taiwanese cuisine is a vibrant and soulful tradition that blends indigenous flavors with Fujianese, Hakka, and Japanese influences. It is world-famous for its incredible street food culture, soul-warming beef noodle soups, and iconic bubble tea. The use of local ingredients like sweet potatoes, taro, and fresh seafood, combined with a deep love for "QQ" (chewy) textures, defines its unique culinary identity.

Recipes from Taiwan

• Beef Noodle Soup (Taiwanese Style)

  Taiwan's national dish; a rich, dark beef broth with tender braised beef and chewy wheat noodles.

• Gua Bao (Steamed Bun Sandwich)

  A "Taiwanese hamburger" consisting of a pillowy steamed bun filled with tender braised pork belly.

• Cong You Bing (Scallion Pancakes)

  Crispy, flaky, and layered flatbreads packed with fresh scallions.

• Stinky Tofu

  A famous fermented tofu dish known for its pungent aroma and addictive flavor, usually deep-fried.

• Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice)

  The ultimate Taiwanese comfort bowl; finely diced pork belly slow-cooked in a sweet and savory soy-based gravy.

• Oyster Omelette (E-ua-jien)

  A chewy, savory omelette filled with small oysters and fresh greens, served with a sweet and spicy red sauce.

• Bubble Tea (Pearl Milk Tea)

  The global phenomenon that started in Taiwan; creamy milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls.

• Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)

  Delicate, thin-skinned dumplings filled with a savory pork mixture and a hot, flavorful soup.

• Ba-wan (Taiwanese Meatballs)

  A large, translucent disk of chewy starch dough filled with spiced pork and bamboo shoots.

• Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)

  A classic Taiwanese home dish named for its equal parts of soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine.

• Pineapple Cake (Feng Li Su)

  Shortcrust pastries filled with a sweet and tangy pineapple jam, Taiwan's most popular food souvenir.

• Danzai Noodles

  A Tainan specialty; small bowls of noodles topped with a savory minced pork sauce and a single shrimp.

• Taiwanese Fried Chicken (Da Ji Pai)

  Extra-large, butterfly-cut chicken breasts, breaded in sweet potato starch and fried to maximum crispiness.

• A-gei (Stuffed Fried Tofu)

  A Tamsui specialty; deep-fried tofu pockets stuffed with vermicelli and sealed with surimi paste.

• Coffin Bread (Gua Cai Ban)

  A thick slice of hollowed-out fried bread filled with a creamy seafood or chicken chowder.

• Iron Egg (Tie Dan)

  Small eggs that have been repeatedly braised and air-dried until they become dark, chewy, and intensely flavorful.

• Pig's Blood Cake (Zhu Xie Gao)

  A savory stick of glutinous rice and pig's blood, steamed and coated in peanut powder and cilantro.

• Taiwanese Sausage (Xiang Chang)

  Sweet and fatty pork sausages, traditionally grilled and eaten with slices of raw garlic.

• Grilled Corn (Taiwanese Style)

  Sweet corn grilled over charcoal and brushed with a thick, savory-sweet BBQ sauce and sesame seeds.

• Shaved Ice (Baobing)

  A mountain of finely shaved ice topped with sweetened condensed milk and various toppings like mango, taro balls, or red beans.

• Taro Balls (Jiufen Style)

  Chewy, handmade taro and sweet potato balls served in a sweet ginger soup or over shaved ice.

• Peanut Ice Cream Roll

  A thin crepe filled with peanut brittle shavings, scoops of ice cream, and fresh cilantro.

• Scallion Pancake with Egg (Dan Bing)

  A soft, thin flour crepe fried with an egg and scallions, a classic Taiwanese breakfast.

• Rice Tube Pudding (Tong Zai Mi Gao)

  Glutinous rice steamed in a small tube with pork, mushrooms, and shallots, resulting in a flavorful rice cake.

• Sesame Oil Chicken (Ma You Ji)

  A warming and nutritious soup of chicken slow-cooked in black sesame oil and a significant amount of rice wine.

• Pork Ribs with Chinese Herbs

  A dark, medicinal broth filled with tender pork ribs and a complex blend of Chinese healing herbs.

• Taiwanese Meat Rice (Rou Zao Fan)

  A leaner version of braised pork rice, using finely minced meat rather than pork belly chunks.

• Squid Ginger Soup

  A clear, zesty soup with tender squid and plenty of julienned ginger.

• Fish Ball Soup

  Springy, chewy fish balls served in a light celery and white pepper broth.

• Fried Instant Noodles (Taiwanese Style)

  A quick and savory stir-fry of instant noodles with vegetables and a fried egg.

• Sweet Potato Balls

  Airy, chewy, and crispy golden balls made from sweet potato dough.

• Mochi (Taiwanese Muaji)

  Stretchy, glutinous rice dough coated in peanut or sesame powder, often filled with sweet pastes.

• Winter Melon Tea

  A classic, cooling Taiwanese beverage made from caramelized winter melon.

• Papaya Milk

  A creamy and refreshing blend of ripe papaya and fresh milk.

• Grass Jelly Dessert (Xian Cao)

  Refreshing black jelly made from the Mesona plant, served with sweet toppings and cream.