Strike out for somewhere warmer and more exotic this winter: Taiwan! Here are four delicious Taiwanese foods and beverages to enjoy while you’re there.
Are you thinking about escaping the dreary, freezing temperatures of winter on the East Coast? While December is a festival of light and joy no matter which holiday you enjoy, once January arrives the wonderland turns dull and grey. Instead, strike out for somewhere warmer and more exotic: Taiwan! Here are four delicious Taiwanese foods and beverages to enjoy while you’re there.
Braised Pork and Rice
Also known as lurou fan, braised pork and rice is so astonishingly popular it is almost indispensable. They say apple pie and hot dogs are the quintessential American foods? Well, braised pork and rice might as well be the equivalent Taiwanese foods. The pork belly that is the key ingredient must be chopped up, and not minced. Then it has to be slow-cooked just right in the correct soy sauce with five secret spices and on top of it all, it needs to have just the right amount of fat. Fresh and hot rice is the other key ingredient.
Oyster Omelet
The name of this dish might be a little misleading. Eggs and oysters are combined into a wonderfully delicious soup. Even though it’s soup, it’s still intriguingly chewy, since sweet potato starch is added to the dish to make it even more magical.
Pineapple Cake
The pineapple cake is not a true cake, much like how a cupcake isn’t an actual cake either. This pastry is stuffed with candied pineapple, and it has become a classic Taiwanese treat much like the next item on our list, bubble tea. Some shops will replace the pineapple with winter melon so they can save money. Although this shortcut will help their bottom line, you’ll come away disappointed, as the flavor profiles of the two varieties just can’t compare.
Bubble Tea
When you’re done chowing down on all of these tasty Taiwanese foods, you’re going to need something to wash them all down! If you’ve never tried bubble tea, also known as boba nai cha, then there’s nowhere better to sample some than the place where it was born! The texture of the tapioca pearls is known as QQ, or delightfully chewy. Beyond the standard black milk tea, you could also try taro milk tea (which carries the faint sweetness of vanilla), jasmine tea, and coffee, which you can choose to have either hot or iced.
Get All Your Asian Groceries at Lotte Plaza Market
Lotte Plaza Market is your one-stop shop for all of your Korean and Asian grocery needs. With more than 10 locations in Maryland and Virginia, this growing market is always expanding and opening new markets to serve our customers better. Opened since 1976, our goal has always been to provide the best customer service and groceries to our customers. For answers to all of your questions, email us at LottePlaza.com.