Hualien: Karenko Kitchen - Aboriginal Cuisine Experience

This is just a fantastic workshop and highly recommended. I was the only person for the morning session so I was lucky to have a one-on-one tour of the market with Sofia who took me around and showed me the various ingredients we would be cooking with. I really enjoyed the conversations around food, Indigenous peoples in Taiwan and travel recommendations around Hualien as we made a set of dishes which were delicious. Sofia also offered some homemade plum wine which was also great. A great and worthwhile experience.

It was great! The class had a friendly atmosphere, but Sophia and Monica's care was thorough and I was able to relax and enjoy the class. There were three participants, a lovely pair from Taipei and me from Japan, so we split into two groups for the market tour, and I had Sophia all to myself and went around with an English guide. Sophia answered all my questions carefully, connected me with the people at the market, and at the end wrote the names of the ingredients we would use that day in Chinese characters in my notebook. When I said I had never eaten the lotus stems I saw at the market, she included them in the ingredients for the day, and I was happy to be able to actually touch them, cook them, and eat them! (Note that the market is closed on Mondays!) We all wrapped rice in shell ginger leaves, marinated thick pork belly in spices such as freshly ground ma-gao, and grilled it, and it was a fun, delicious, and happy time. Please don't worry if you are participating alone, so please give it a try♪ I would like to participate again in a different season. Thank you, Sophia and Monica.

This class was so great! They run a small class so we had the instructor to ourselves. The cooking process was fun and not too challenging, and the instructor is very friendly and helpful, with lots of traditional information to share. There was a lot of food, particularly healthy vegetables that we had never tried before. The vegetarian option was excellent too. We also tried the local millet wine. I definitely recommend this activity if you enjoy trying different food and learning about the Indigenous groups of Taiwan. There are also some cute pets at the property.

The cooking experience at "Jialanke Kitchen" was what I was most looking forward to in Hualien! 🌿 My husband and I participated with an American couple, making a group of four. It was a time to learn about traditional Amis cuisine and their appreciation for the local culture and nature. We saw many vegetables that are not found in Japan. Everything was delicious with simple seasoning. For vegetables we didn't recognize, they explained them using Chinese characters. Even though we didn't understand English or Taiwanese, we had a wonderful time. I particularly loved the seasoning called Maqao (Ma-gao), and even after returning to Japan, I use it in everything, including curry, grilled fish, and fried rice. Every time I smell its aroma, I remember Hualien. I hope to see the two of you again.

It was a great experience, I booked the market tour, which is quite interesting to learn all types of local vegetables. Sofia is very knowledgeable and passionate about cooking. it was just myself, and we cooked 5 dishes in about 1 hours!

Finishing 5 dishes in a short time is really a sense of accomplishment. I also got to know a lot of special ingredients, which was very interesting! The staff are chatty and friendly, and the meals are exceptional and delicious! Very recommended👍

Sophia is kind and good at cooking. Take us to know many vegetable foods and spices that are rarely seen in ordinary times. Have a chill time! !

Had a really great time with Sophia and Monica! They are lovely & engaging. My husband and I have thoroughly enjoyed learning to cook aboriginal dishes which tasted so good! Special shout-out for the special cocktail mix, loved it!

This cooking class was one of the highlights of my Taiwan east coast (Hualien-Taitung) trip! Overall, I enjoyed the experience but also it was such an eye opener, and I got to appreciate Taiwan more and its people! Monica and Sofia were also very accommodating, patient (especially when I absentmindedly threw the crushed garlic on the wooden trash bowl 😂), and passionate about indigenous culture. Three cups chicken was the first Taiwanese dish I learned to cook - thanks to this experience!

This was fantastic! so much better than the typical cooking classes offered, trying new ingredients and learning about the history and culture behind them. Thanks so much to the amazing hosts and of course the expert help from Nugget and Noodle the adorable poodles!