Must Try Foods of Taiwan
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information. Your support is appreciated!.
Eating at the bustling night markets in Taiwan is always an adventure.
If you want to find a new flavor in a Taiwanese Night Market, here are some suggestions that will help you know where to begin.
Xiao Long Bao, Steamed Buns (小籠包)
Some of the best foods I found in Taipei were the Xiao Long Bao, small dumpling or buns found at small vendors all over the city. Originally from China, these dumplings get their name from “Xiaolong” which is the name of the bamboo steaming basket used to cook them. Traditional xiao long bao contain a soupy filling, consisting of pork, ginger, and green onion.
Ba-wan or Giant Meatball Dumplings (肉圓)
The Ba-wan is an authentic Taiwanese dish served in bone broth. Pork is the main ingredient in Ba-wan filling. What makes them unique is a chewy sweet potato and rice shell encasing the pork filling. You can find them at the night market as they are quite popular.
Tan-Tsi Noodles or Danzai Noodles (擔仔麵)
Danzai means wooden stick noodle which is lo mein or chow mein noodles, topped with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, coriander leaves, and garlic. Danzai noodles are better as a snack than as a meal, so I’ve heard.
Here is a recipe for Tan Tsi Noodles
Tea eggs (茶葉雞蛋)
Tea eggs are a delicious snack found in Taiwan and China. They boil the eggs until they are hard, crack the shells and then boil them again in a mixture of soy sauce, tea, and spices. A restaurant by the road to Thousand Island Lake sold the pictured tea egg as a snack.
Here is a recipe for Tea Eggs
Oolong Tea (烏龍茶)
While Taiwan produces a wide range of teas, Oolong tea is the most frequently cultivated type. Hsinchu County, Taiwan cultivates a variety of Taiwanese oolong teas such as Dongfang Meiren.
What makes oolong tea unique is the oxidization process.
Bubble Tea (珍珠奶茶)
Bubble Tea is becoming more popular in the USA, however, it is definitely a Taiwanese original.
The name “bubble tea” comes from its tea base, which is often combined with milk, but not always.
Sweet, chewy pearls or bubbles are an enhancement for the teas.
Traditionally the chewy pearls are made of tapioca, but there are also fruit pearls that pop! (The fruit pearls are what I would prefer).
Here are two drinks with popping fruit pearls: a dragonfruit milk tea with pomegranate pearls on the right, and on the left – a passionfruit tea with blueberry popping pearls.
Tang Yuan (汤圆)
Tang Yuan are rice balls, similar to Japanese Mochi, and they can be sweet or savory. Sesame paste is a traditional filling for tang yuan. The boiling process of making tang yuan is slightly different from mochi, however.
Actually a Chinese dish, tang yuan are very popular in the night markets of Taiwan. At the Lantern festival during Chinese New Year, tang yuan will be a but most other times of year as well.
Here is a recipe for Tang Yuan
Wheel Pie (車輪餅) or Red Bean Cake (紅豆餅)
Made with a wheel-shaped mold, the batter of these pies is like that of a waffle. Inside is a variety of delicious fillings: most popular being custard, cream, and red bean. Originally called imagawayaki, these pies came from Japan and are also popular in Korea.
Shaved Ice / Baobing (礤冰)
Shaved ice is a popular dessert in Taiwan. Like the Philippine Halo-halo, they top it with various delicious things, red bean or fruit among the many choices. Mango is a popular flavor.
The shaved ice is then drizzled with sweetened condensed milk as a final touch.
Pineapple cake / Hsin Tung Yang / (梨酥)
To make the pineapple cakes, a buttery, crumbly pastry made with flour, butter, and other ingredients wraps the sweet and sticky filling of fresh pineapple and sugar. The resulting pineapple cake is crispy on the outside, with a soft and sweet filling on the inside.
Mochi (麻糬)
I bought the above dessert in Taiwan, and it resembled a Japanese daifuku (a Japanese mochi dessert). I found within this particular dessert a coarse, chunky anko red bean paste, surrounded by a creamy ice cream like mixture. The taste and texture was very similar to an ice cream mochi.
