Location: Taiwan

A small bowl of zhi ma jiang made following my Chinese sesame paste recipe with sesame seeds scattered in the background

Easy Chinese Sesame Paste Recipe (Zhi Ma Jiang, 芝麻酱)

Chinese sesame paste, or zhi ma jiang (芝麻酱) is a rich, nutty and aromatic paste made from heavily roasted and ground white sesame seeds.  It is used as an ingredient predominantly in Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine, including in iconic dishes such as Taiwanese cold noodles (liang mian, 涼麵) and Sichuan dan dan noodles (dan dan …

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Close up of Taiwanese sesame noodles (ma jiang mian) with Taiwanese cucumber salad in the background

10-minute authentic Taiwanese cold noodles recipe

Taiwanese cold noodles, or liang mian (涼麵) is a simple but delicious meal that is served all across Taiwan. Don’t confuse simple for unsatisfying however; this hearty bowl of noodles comes smothered with an incredibly thick, glossy and aromatic sauce made from Chinese sesame paste (think peanut butter, but with deep toasted notes of roasted …

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Bowl of Taiwanese sesame noodles in Taitung at Lin Kee Adalu Noodle Restaurant (林記阿達魯味麵食館)

Magnificent Taiwanese Sesame Noodles – What to eat in Taitung (if you’re starving)

If you come to Taiwan and are in need of some comfort food, then you can’t go wrong by ordering a steaming bowl of Taiwanese sesame noodles. ‘Ma jiang mian’, as it is known in Taiwanese, is a hearty bowl of beansprouts, spring onions and noodles, topped with a generous ladleful of thick, glossy and …

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Taiwanese cucumber salad on table with chopsticks

Taiwanese Cucumber Salad Recipe – a step-by-step recreation from Fuhong Beef Noodles, Taipei

You know a side-dish is impressive when it is more memorable than the dish it was supposed to support.  This was the case with an incredible Taiwanese cucumber salad I ate at Fuhong Beef Noodles in Ximending District, Taipei. This cucumber salad is unlike any you have eaten before. An unusual cross between pickled and …

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Bowl of best beef noodles in Ximending at Fuhong Beef Noodle with chilli butter and pickled mustard greens next to plate of pickled cucumbers

A local recommends the best beef noodles in Ximending – Fuhong beef noodles review

A local’s take on the best beef noodles in Ximending You could spend hours trawling the internet for the best beef noodles in Ximending and never come to a solid conclusion. The history behind Taiwanese beef noodle soup, plus a culture of eating out regularly, mean that locals you speak to will almost always have …

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Bowl of braised pork and rice for breakfast in taichung

Local Breakfast in Taichung – Melt-in-the-mouth Pork Belly at Xiao Yan Meat Rice (蕭爌肉飯)

What would you rather have for breakfast? A cold bowl of cereal with milk? Or a steaming bowl of fragrant rice, topped with a mountain of pickled mustard greens and a glistening slice of slow-cooked pork belly? If you are the sort of person that would always go for the latter, then you will love …

Local Breakfast in Taichung – Melt-in-the-mouth Pork Belly at Xiao Yan Meat Rice (蕭爌肉飯) Read More »

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken in a bag outside Ximending branch

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken in Ximending, Taipei – a Taiwanese ‘schnitzel’ the size of your head

This site isn’t necessarily about fancy food, it’s about good food, and if your definition of ‘good food’ is like mine (anything tasty enough to make you order it again), then a simple piece of fried chicken can more than make the grade. Hot Star Large Fried Chicken therefore claims this title by definition – …

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