Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Taiwan

Ask what Taiwan eats and the answer starts with this: night-market paradise of Hokkien, Hakka and Japanese flavors; braised pork rice, noodle soups and bubble tea. Look for Beef Noodle Soup (slow-braised beef shank and chewy noodles in rich soy-spiced broth), Lu Rou Fan (minced pork belly braised in soy and shallots, ladled over steamed rice) and Bubble Tea (sweet milk tea shaken with chewy tapioca pearls, invented in Taiwan). Created by Sichuanese veterans in Kaohsiung’s Gangshan military villages after 1949, using broad-bean chili paste; Taipei has held a beef noodle festival since 2005. This atlas has 53 Taiwan dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

53 dishes.

Popcorn ChickenPopcorn ChickenBite-size fried chicken tossed with fried basil and white pepperSalty Soy MilkSalty Soy MilkHot soy milk curdled with vinegar over dried shrimp, pickles and fried doughSausage in Rice SausageSausage in Rice SausageGrilled pork sausage tucked into a split glutinous-rice sausage with pickles and garlicScallion PancakeScallion PancakeFlaky pan-fried flatbread layered with spring onionsSesame Oil ChickenSesame Oil ChickenChicken simmered with ginger, black sesame oil and rice wine until warming and headyStinky TofuStinky TofuPungent fermented tofu deep-fried, served with pickled cabbage and chiliSuan CaiSuan CaiSour brined Chinese cabbage from the northeast, stewed with pork belly and glass noodlesSun CakeSun CakeTaichung flaky pastry with sweet maltose fillingSweet Potato BallsSweet Potato BallsHollow fried sweet-potato dough spheres, crisp outside and chewy within.Taiwan BeerTaiwan BeerLight lager brewed with Penglai rice, drunk ice-cold with night-market foodTaiwanese SausageTaiwanese SausageSweet grilled pork sausage, often eaten with raw garlic clovesTaro BallsTaro BallsChewy taro and sweet-potato dumplings in iced syrup with beans and jellyThree Cup ChickenThree Cup ChickenChicken braised in soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil with basilTian Bu LaTian Bu LaFried fishcake pieces simmered in broth with sweet sauce and daikon.Turnip CakeTurnip CakeSteamed daikon and rice-flour cake, pan-fried in slices with soy paste.Wheel CakeWheel CakeRound griddled cakes filled with red bean, custard or taro.Winter Melon TeaWinter Melon TeaCaramelised winter-melon sugar drink, old-school street refresher

  • Coffin Bread

    Tainan fried toast box filled with creamy seafood chowder. Ready in 25 min prep and 20 min cooking. 4 servings.…

  • Danbing

    Rolled egg crepe griddled with spring onions, breakfast-shop staple with soy-chili sauce. Ready in 15 min prep and 15 min…

  • Danzai Noodles

    Tainan shrimp-broth noodles topped with minced pork and a single shrimp. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 1 hour cooking.…

  • Douhua

    Silken tofu pudding in ginger or brown-sugar syrup with peanuts or tapioca. Ready in 20 min prep and 30 min…

  • Fantuan

    Sticky rice roll wrapped around youtiao, pork floss and pickled radish. Ready in 20 min prep and 35 min cooking.…

  • Fried Chicken Cutlet

    Oversized flattened fried chicken breast dusted with spiced pepper salt. Ready in 20 min prep and 15 min cooking. 4…

  • Grass Jelly

    Herb jelly served iced with syrup or hot as a thick sweet soup. Ready in 15 min prep and 2…

  • Gua Bao

    Steamed bun folded around braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens and peanut powder. Ready in 1 hour prep and 2…

  • Hakka Stir-fry

    Squid, pork belly, dried tofu and celery tossed hard with soy and shallots. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 15…

  • Hsinchu Rice Noodles

    Fine rice vermicelli stir-fried with pork, dried shrimp and shredded cabbage. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 20 minutes cooking.…