Missing Taiwan? Try Making These Taiwanese Street Food At Home!

Transport yourself to Taiwan’s Night Markets with these recipes!

• Taiwanese Fried Chicken
• Lu Rou Fan - Braised Pork Rice Bowl
• Dan Bing (Taiwanese Egg Crepe)
• Three Cup Chicken
• Scallion Pancake
• Beef Noodle Soup

1. Taiwanese Fried Chicken 

• 2 pcs chicken breasts (whole, with bone)
• Flour
• 1 egg
• Kamote flour
• Oil for deep-frying

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar

1. Divide each of the chicken breasts into two, removing the soft bone/cartilage but retaining the harder rib bone. Use a sharp knife to carefully butterfly the breast meat.
2. Marinate the chicken breast for at least 20 minutes.
3. Mix together all the ingredients for the seasoning powder and set aside.
4. Dredge the marinated chicken fillets in flour, then dip it in egg, and finally coat each with kamote flour.
5. Deep fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes or until completely cooked.
6. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels to remove any excess oil. Flavor the fillets with the seasoning powder and serve immediately.
7. Serve warm.

2. Lu Rou Fan - Braised Pork Rice Bowl

• 1 lb skin-on pork belly (450g, cut into 1/2” pieces)
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1/2 oz. rock sugar (14g, or about 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar)
• 1 small onion or a couple of shallots (finely chopped)
• 8 shiitake mushrooms (cut into 1/2” pieces)
• 1/4 cup shaoxing wine 
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce 
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 cups water 

• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 pieces dried tangerine peel
• 2 slices fresh ginger

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and blanch the chopped pork belly for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wok over low heat, and add the sugar. Cook the sugar until it starts to melt and then add the onions. Turn up the heat to medium-high and stir-fry the onions for a minute. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for another couple minutes.
3. Add the blanched pork, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and water. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the spices (which should be tied in cheesecloth), along with the peeled hardboiled eggs and turn the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. At this point the meat should be fall-apart tender. To finish the dish, remove the spice packet and turn up the heat to medium-high to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. This process should take about 5-minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, but there should still be plenty of it left. Serve over steamed white rice.

3. Dan Bing (Taiwanese Egg Crepe)

• 1/2 cup bread flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• Salt
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons scallions, chopped
• Soy paste and sweet chili sauce (optional)

1. Mix the bread flour and corn starch together in a small mixing bowl. Add the water and a pinch of salt and mix well. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
2. For each crepe, beat 1 egg with 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of water, a pinch of salt, and a heaping tablespoon of chopped scallions.
3. Start heating a non-stick pan on medium heat and lightly oil. Once the pan is hot, stir the batter again (it may have separated slightly) and add a third of the batter (about 1/2 cup) to the pan. Swirl the pan around to coat the bottom with a thin layer. Cook the crepe until the top is set and the edges pull easily away from the pan. Flip the crepe onto a plate and slide the crepe back onto the pan, cooked side up.
4. Pour the egg mixture on top of the crepe, and carefully spread it out with a spatula. Try not to have any of the egg go over the edge of the crepe if possible.
5. Continue cooking until the egg is mostly set and then flip (the crepe will be sturdy enough to flip with a spatula now). Cook for 10-20 seconds and then flip the crepe egg side up onto a plate or cutting board.
6. Quickly roll the crepe into a long, rectangular roll. Cut into sections and serve hot with soy paste and/or sweet chili sauce.

4. Three Cup Chicken

Photo Credit: cyanwater on Instagram

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 head garlic, peeled
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 Thai chili, seeds removed if preferred
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, optional
• 1 pound chicken wings
• Thai basil, optional

1. In a large skillet or wok, heat up the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and chili over low heat, infusing the oil with the aromatics.
2. Stir in the Shaoxing, soy sauce, sugar, chicken wings, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to boil, then partially cover with a lid, and simmer on low for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Stir in the basil leaves, if using, and serve hot with fluffy white rice.

5. Scallion Pancake 

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• ⅓ cup chicken fat, warmed, or vegetable oil
• 2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 8 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus more for brushing
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili oil
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1. Whisk 2½ cups flour and 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Mix in sesame oil and 1 cup boiling water with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking, until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest at room temperature 1 hour.
3. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Working with one at a time, roll out on a lightly floured work surface as thin as possible (each should be approximately 10" in diameter). Brush about 2 tsp. chicken fat on dough and top with about ¼ cup scallions; season with salt. Roll dough away from you (like a jelly roll) into a thin cylinder, then, starting at 1 end, wind roll onto itself to create a coil (like a cinnamon roll). Cover with plastic wrap and repeat with remaining dough. Let rest at room temperature 15 minutes.
4. Working with 1 coil at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 5" round (keep other coils covered). Repeat with remaining dough and stack as you go, separating with parchment or lightly greased foil brushed with vegetable oil.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-low. Working with one at a time, cook pancake, turning frequently to prevent scallions from burning, until golden brown and crisp on both sides and cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Transfer pancakes to a wire rack and let rest about 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.
6. Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Serve alongside pancakes for dipping.

6. Beef Noodle Soup

• 3 tablespoons vegetable, canola, or peanut oil
• 2 pounds boneless beef shank or chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 large slices fresh ginger root
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2-3 small red chilies, such as Thai chilies, roughly chopped
• 1 large plum tomato, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan chili bean sauce (doubanjiang)
• 1 cup Chinese rice wine
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 whole star anise cloves
• 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 2 pounds Asian wheat flour noodles (any width you like)
• Fresh spinach leaves, baby bok choy, broccolini, or other small greens, as desired

1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef and cook without moving until well browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until well browned all over, about 10 minutes total. Transfer beef to a large bowl and repeat with 1 more tablespoon oil and remaining beef.
2. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan and heat until shimmering. Add the sliced ginger, garlic cloves, and chilies. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomato and stir stir for another minute. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, about 30 seconds. Add the chili bean sauce, and stir until the mixture just begins to bubble.
3. Return the beef to the pot. Stir to warm up and coat the meat with the spices. Add the rice wine and cook for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and the water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until beef is tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
4. Using tongs, carefully remove the beef cubes from the stew and set aside in a bowl. Carefully strain the soup over a colander or mesh strainer to catch the ginger, peppercorns, and other stray solids. Retain any solids or small beef pieces from the strained mixture that you may want to keep, and return to the soup. Return the beef to the soup and add greens to wilt if desired.
5. Cook the noodles according to the directions on their package. Strain noodles, and divide into serving bowls. Ladle the warm soup and beef chunks into each bowl and serve immediately.

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