Rice vermicelli are thin noddles made from rice, sometimes also known as rice noodles or rice sticks. They should not be confused with cellophane noodles, which is another type of vermicelli. Taiwanese Fried Rice Vermicelli: The dry, stir fried local style (particularly know for in the Hsinchu region). Main ingredients include (not limited to): sliced pork, dried shrimps, carrots.

How to make..

Ingredients

• 1/2 pack rice sticks (8 oz)
• 2-3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1 big handful of fresh bean sprouts
• 3 stalks scallions (cut into 2-inch length)
• 1 boneless & skinless chicken breast (cut into small pieces)
• 1/2 teaspoon corn starch (to marinate the chicken)
• 4 tablespoons oil

Seasonings

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ABC sweet soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 dashes of white pepper powder

Directions

1. Soak the rice sticks in warm water for 30 minutes or until they turn soft. Set aside in a colander to drain the excess water. Rinse the bean sprouts with water and set aside to drain excess water. Lightly coat the chicken meat with the corn starch (to tenderize the chicken).
2. Mix all the seasonings and water together and set aside. Heat up a wok and add in the cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir-fry until aromatic or turn light brown. Add in the chicken meat and stir fry until the chicken is half done.
3. Add in the rice sticks and then follow by the seasonings. Stir the rice sticks continuously to blend well with the seasonings. Continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until noodles turn soft or no longer wet, then add in the bean sprouts and chopped scallions. Stir-fry for another minute or until the bean sprouts are cooked.
4. Dish out and serve hot.

Note

• You can substitute chicken with pork, beef, shrimp, or other seafood. You can also do a combination of them.
• Once you master the techniques of stir-frying noodles, you can start experimenting with other noodles. Eventually, you will discover what makes that perfect fried noodles dish for you.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_vermicelli

http://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-fried-rice-vermicellirice/

Braised pork rice is also known as “Lu Rou Fan”. It is one of the most well known Taiwanese foods. In Taiwan, braised pork rice has different meanings in the North and the South. In northern Taiwan, “Lu Rou Fan” is a ground pork (ground pork) with soy sauce and rice dish. Sometimes it also includes mushrooms sauce and other ingredients. On the other hand in southern Taiwan “braised pork rice” is a whole piece pork with three layers on rice. “Lu Rou Fan” is a popular dish in Taiwan usually ordered with other small dishes as a meal.

How to make..

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Pork (Pork that has at least 50% fat is preferred)
• 6 Shiitake mushrooms (soak in cold water for few hours)
• 3 to 4 Shallots
• 2 gloves of garlic
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp 5 spices (see Note below for description of spices)

Directions

1. Cut out the pork skin if any, cut the pork in tiny pieces.(marinate with some soy sauce and sugar)
2. Soak the shiitake mushrooms and dice into small pieces.
3. Chopped the garlic and  shallots.
4. Heat pan on high,add the pork and keep stirring until all fat comes out.
5. Scoop out the pork and put aside.
6. Using the same pan (which still has some oil in it), add the shallots and stir fry until fragrant.
7. Add in the mushrooms and stir fry.
8. Add in some soy sauce, rock sugar and 5 spices (1 tbsp).
9. Add a little water just enough to cover the pork.
10. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
11. To make boiled eggs, add eggs into cold water and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
12. Remove the eggshell and add in to the pork while it’s still simmeingr.
13. Turn the eggs in the pot occassionally so the eggs are covered by the sauce and will evenly brown.
14. The dish is done after 30 minutes.
15. Serve egg and some pork mixture over rice.

Note

• This dish tastes well with fatty pork, you can remove the excess fat when it’s done stir frying.
• The 5 spices consists of fennel,anise,cinnamon, gloves, and ginger. It’s supposed to be added in before ready to be served.  You can find a bottle of this blend of spices in any Chinese grocery store.

References

http://tracemyfootsteps.blogspot.com/2010/01/braised-pork-rice-lu-rou-fan.html

Beef noodle soup is a Chinese noodle soup made of stewed beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. It exists in various forms throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia. It was created by the Hui people (a Chinese Muslim ethnic group) during the Tang Dynasty of China.

In Taiwan, vendors that sell beef noodle may also have optional, often cold side dishes, such as braised dried tofu, seaweed, or pork intestine. Beef noodles is often served with suan cai(Chinese sauerkraut) on top, green onion, and sometimes other vegetables in the soup as well.

How to make..

Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup Chinese rice wine or medium-dry Sherry
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 (1-inch) cube peeled fresh ginger, smashed
• 1 bunch scallions, white parts smashed with flat side of a large knife and green parts chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 10 fresh cilantro stems plus 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro sprigs
• 2 (2-inch-long) pieces Asian dried tangerine peel
• 4 whole star anise
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 2 1/2 pounds meaty beef short ribs
• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 ounces)
• 10 ounces dried Chinese wheat noodles or linguine
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
• 4 tablespoons Chinese pickled mustard greens
• 1 (4-inch-long) fresh red chile (optional), thinly sliced

Directions

1. Bring water, soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, ginger, white parts of scallion, garlic, cilantro stems, tangerine peel, star anise, and red pepper flakes to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart pot, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add short ribs and gently simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until meat is very tender but not falling apart, 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours. Let meat stand in cooking liquid, uncovered, 1 hour.
2. Transfer meat to a cutting board with tongs and discard bones and membranes, then cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. 3Pour beef broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Skim fat from cooking liquid and transfer liquid to a 3-quart saucepan. Add chicken broth and meat and reheat soup over moderately low heat.
3. Meanwhile, cook noodles in a 6- to 8-quart pot of (unsalted) boiling water until tender, about 7 minutes (14 to 15 minutes for linguine). Drain noodles well in a colander and divide among 4 large soup bowls.
4. Ladle broth over noodles and top with meat, scallion greens, bean sprouts, pickled mustard greens, cilantro sprigs, and red chile (if using).

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_noodle_soup

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/taiwanese-beef-noodle-soup-231502

Douhua(Chinese: 豆花) or doufuhua (Chinese: 豆腐花) is a Chinese dessert made with an extra soft form of toufu. It is also referred to as tofu pudding.

How to make..

Ingredients

• a 4 inch piece of ginger root
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound “silken” tofu

Directions

1. Peel and slice ginger.
   You can just slice the ginger into several thick pieces if you want a ginger-flavored sauce. If you really like that lovely tang of ginger flavor, and you have tender young ginger root, you can slice it very thin, and then into small sticks to be served with the simmered tofu.
2. Boil the sugar water and ginger together for several minutes.
3. Add the silken tofu.
   Silken tofu is a kind of soybean curd that is very soft. It may break up a bit. That’s okay, but be careful not to break it up too much. The solid bits have a nice silky texture that gives this dish an extra bit of joy.
4. Simmer the tofu for a few minutes.If you were unable to find silken tofu, and just used regular soft tofu, you may want to simmer longer. The texture should be almost like a well set yogurt or even jello. A spoon should slice through it easily, but the pieces won’t flow back together like pudding.
5. Spoon the tofu carefully into bowls, and spoon a little of the liquid over it.
6. Serve hot, warm, or you can refrigerate it and serve it cold.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douhua

http://www.ehow.com/how_5043923_make-silken-tofu-ginger-syrup.html

Chicken Cutlet is one of the most popular street foods in Taiwan. Taiwanese fried chicken is soaked in special sauce before frying, and its taste is mixed with spicy pepper and aromatic herbals, and the meat quality is tender and juicy; it is of its own kind other from common western style fried chicken.

How to make..

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam-masala powder
• 500 gm chicken
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
• 2 slices of bread
• 1 or 2 eggs
• Bread crumbs for coating
• Oil to deep fry
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash and clean the chicken, and mince it finely.
2. Chop the coriander leave, mint leaves.
3. Mince the onion, ginger and garlic.
4. Beat the eggs and store in a bowl.
5. Fry onion, ginger and garlic until aromatic
6. Add the turmeric and chilly powder, salt and the mince chicken.
7. Fry the content for or 2-3 minutes or until it looks ready.
8. Add coriander, mint leaves and garam-masala, stir it well till excess moisture dries up.
9. Disintegrate the bread into tiny pieces and add to the cooking chicken content.
10. Stir thoroughly and allow it to cool.
11. When it is cool enough and ready, cut out the mixture in cutlets. It should be done neatly without any mess.
12. Coat all the cutlets one by one with the beaten-egg and the breadcrumbs.
13. Deep-fry all the pieces in batches until golden brown on both sides.
14. Check the degree of cooking and remove gently on a paper towel.
15. Serve it hot

References

http://www.nightmarketsintaiwan.com/detail.html

http://cooking101.org/how-to-make-chicken-cutlets/

Xiaolongbao, also known as soup dumpling, is a type of baozi from eastern China, including Shanghai and Wuxi. It is traditionally steamed in small bamboo baskets, hence the name (xiaolong is literally “small steaming basket”).

How to make..

Ingredients

The Soup

• 2 quarts of water
• 2 pounds chicken bones (wings/back/neck)
• 2 ounces of Virginia Smithfield ham (or cured Chinese ham if you can get it), cut into 4 pieces
• 1/2 pound of pork skin & fat (you can ask your butcher for this, he’ll most likely just give it to you. you could also use pork belly, or just a fatty cut of pork)
• 3 slices of ginger “coins”
• 2 green onions, cut into 3″ pieces
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed with side of your knife
• 2 teaspoons of Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)

The Agar-Agar

• 1 tablespoon powdered Agar Agar
• or 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin

The Filling

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/4 lb peeled shrimp, deveined and minced finely
• 3 stalks green onion, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (use rasp grater)
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

The Dough (makes about 40 dumplings)

• 400 grams of all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups boiling hot water
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

The Dipper

• 2 tablespoons of sambal (hot chili & garlic sauce)
• 1/2 cup black vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of shaved ginger

Directions

The Soup

1. Wash pork thoroughly. Take the pork skin and with the backside of your knife, firmly scrape the surface of the skin to clean it further. Rinse again.
2. Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. When all ingredients come to a boil, immediately turn to low heat and simmer for 2 hours. Skim surface of impurities constantly to keep soup clean and clear. Or, you could make the broth in half the time.
3. When the soup is done. Strain and discard solids. We will only use 4 cups of broth. (Save the rest for soup!)

The Agar-Agar

1. Place 4 cups of the broth back in the pot, turn on the heat. When barely boiling again, turn heat off and add the agar-agar or gelatin. Whisk for 2 minutes until all powder is dissolved. Pour broth into an 8×8 baking dish (size really doesn’t matter. if you a few plastic containers, use those instead. remember how you used to make jello?) Refrigerate until set, about 3-4 hours. (I stuck mine in the freezer after the first hour because I got impatient and it only took 2 hours)

The Filling

1. Mix all ingredients. When the broth gelatin is set, run a fork through it, with criss crossing motion, to break it up into very small 1/4″ pieces. Take about 1-1/2 cups of the broth gelatin and add that to the filling mixture. Stir to incorporate evenly throughout. Refrigerate until ready to use.

The Dough

1. Put about 360 grams (90% of the flour) of flour in a large bowl. Pour a about a third of the hot water in the flour. Use a pair of chopsticks to stir vigorously. Add more hot water. Stir more. Add the last bit of the water and stir vigorously until the dough begins to form. Add the cold water and oil. Keep stirring vigorously with chopsticks. Stop when you can’t stir anymore. Dust counter with the remainder 40 grams of flour. Place dough on floured surface, use your hands to knead the dough for 8 -10 minutes, until it becomes soft, smooth and bounces back slowly when you poke with your finger. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 30 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Take one piece (cover the remaining 3 pieces with plastic wrap) and roll it into a long log, about 1-1/4″ diameter. Using pastry scraper or knife, cut dough into pieces about the size of a golf ball. Roll one of the balls between your palms to get a nice, round, smooth ball. Using a rolling pin, roll it out flat. Use 3″ cookie cutter or improvise with my ghetto version of a cutter to cut out the dough circle. **Note, you may need more flour as your are rolling out your dough. I always keep the counter dusted and a small pile of flour nearby so I can quickly nudge some over if I need it.
3. Fill with 1 T of filling, pinch pleat by following the slideshow above. Repeat with rest. Make sure that you cover any dough that you aren’t currently using and cover the dumplings with a towel.

The Dipping Sauce

1. Combine ingredients

*Ginger: Take a big knob – about 2 inches long. Remove skin. Use your sharp paring knife to get a flat surface on one of the long sides. With a vegetable peeler, cut thin strips along the long side of the ginger. Use knife to further cut the strips into super-thin slices. This way, you get the full flavor of ginger in your sauce + the crunch of the little strips of ginger as you eat without tough, fibrous pieces of ginger.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao

http://www.grouprecipes.com/6134/xiao-long-bao.html

Bubble tea is a sweetly flavored tea beverage invented in Taiwan. Drink recipes may vary, but most bubble teas contain a tea base mixed with fruit (or fruit syrup) and/or milk. Bubble teas also usually contain small tapioca balls or pearls called “boba”. Pearls made of jelly are also available in many places. These teas are shaken to mix the ingredients, creating a foam on the top of some varieties. This foamy layer, combined with the round boba on the bottom, gives bubble tea its name.

How to make..

Ingredients

Oyster vermicelli is a kind of noodle soup that is popular in Taiwan. Its main ingredients are oysters and Taiwanese vermicelli, made to be tasty and full of aroma. Its great favor is the use of seep-fried minced shallots. An alternative is vermicelli with large intestine, in which oysters are substituted with small segments of pig’s large intestine.

How to make..

Ingredients

• 1 pound oysters shucked
• 1/2 tablespoon cooking wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 pound vermicelli cooked
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cooking wine
• 4 cups stock
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Wash the oysters by rubbing gently in several changes of salt water then blanch in boiling water and remove and drain.
2. Combine cooking wine, salt and cornstarch together and marinate oysters in sauce.
3. Heat water in a large enough pot to cook the vermicelli.
4. While this water is coming to a boil heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a preheated wok.
5. Stir fry garlic for three minutes then add soy sauce, cooking wine, stock, salt, pepper and cornstarch.
6. Boil until thick then stir in oysters and fresh basil and remove from heat.
7. Place warm and drained vermicelli noodles in a bowl.
8. Pour the oyster soup over the noodles.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_vermicelli

http://www.grouprecipes.com/6398/taiwan-oyster-soup-with-vermicelli.html

The egg is added putting the mark to the water of flour with the debt by the ke child stir-frying (oyster omelet). The light that puts all of the vegetable etc. at the ke child end, completes, and puts some sauce on further that becomes very delicious.

How to make..

Ingredients

• 6 oysters
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• 6 eggs (beaten)
• 4 stems onions
• 2 stems coriander
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoons peanut oil
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Chop the onions and coriander.
2. Wash the oysters.
3. Add corn flour to the oysters.
4. Keep it aside.
5. Add the chopped onions and coriander to the beaten eggs.
6. Blanch the oysters in boiling water.
7. Drain it.
8. Add sesame oil, pepper and salt to it.
9. Mix it well.
10. Heat the peanut oil in a pan.
11. Pour half of the egg mixture and half of the oysters mixture into the pan.
12. Cook until the edges of both the sides of omelet turn slight brown in colour.
13. Oyster Omelette is ready.

References

http://www.nightmarketsintaiwan.com/detail.html

http://www.indobase.com/recipes/details/oyster-omelette.php