Nostalgic Taiwanese Night Market Recipes At Home
I’m craving some street food classics, so I’m sharing some of my favorite Taiwanese Night Market recipes that I’ve adapted for my own kitchen. There are so many of these recipes that I can’t really find eating out growing up, so I decided to make them myself. So, here’s all of them in one place. If you’re missing the Taiwanese Night Market hits like me, you have to try these Night Market Recipes at home. From Scallion Pancakes to XXL Fried Chicken, these recipes are easier than you think, so you can have them any time!
Fried Night Market Classics
Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken
One of my favorite memories in Taiwan is walking around night markets with a XXL Fried Chicken 香雞排 in one hand and a boba tea in another. Now, I can have this chicken at home! Crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned with that deliciously spicy seasoning mix, this fried chicken will get your house smelling so amazing! If you’re missing the night market, this is a must-try recipe!
- 2 large Chicken Breast butterfly, and flatten
- 4 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine or Beer
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Five-Spice Powder
- 1 tsp White Pepper
- 5 cloves Garlic grated
- 2 cups Tapioca Starch or Sweet Potato Flour
- 2 large Eggs
- 4 tbsp Corn Starch
Seasoning Powder
Crispy Fried “Not Stinky” Tofu
If you miss Stinky Tofu but don’t want the stench in your own kitchen, you have to try my “Not Stinky” Tofu recipe! Anytime I crave stinky tofu, I make this recipe. It’s just the right amount of crispy, with that classic garlic sauce and Taiwanese Pickled Cabbage. Trust me, this will bring you right back to the Night Markets!
- 1 pack Medium Firm Tofu cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 cups Water
- 1.5 cups Rice Flour
Garlic Sauce
- 6 cloves Garlic grated
- 2.5 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sugar
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is another CLASSIC must have at the night markets! This is one of those snacks that you can just pop in your mouth one after another. Each bite of chicken is super crispy, but still moist and infused with the fried basil aroma. It’s so, so good! You won’t believe how easy it is to make at home!
- 6 Pieces Boneless Chicken Thigh with the skin on cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2.5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine optional
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Five-Spice Powder
- 1 Large Egg
- 3.5 Tbsp Rice Flour or corn starch
- 1.5 Cup Thai Basil
- 2 Cup Tapioca Starch
Golden Prawn Pancake
Inspired by deep-fried shrimp pancakes in Taiwan’s night market, these Golden Prawn Pancakes is a MUST TRY appetizer. Whenever I go to Taiwanese Night markets, this is a must-order item. The wonton wrappers outside is fried until super super crispy, but the shrimp filling inside stays juicy. Every bite is packed with umami flavor. The best part about this recipe is actually how easily it is to find these ingredients!
- 1.5 lb Prawns Peeled
- 2 Green Onion chopped
- 1 tsp White Pepper
- 1.5 tsp Dashi Powder
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1.5 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 20 Wonton Wrappers
Grilled Must-Try Night Market Meals
Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Buns
Another amazing sight I love seeing at some night markets is a giant, freshly cooked pan of these Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Buns. You can find them in all sorts of sizes at the night markets, but I especially love the tiny bite-sized versions. They’re adorable, and extra crispy. I knew I had to make these buns at home! You can get these same soup-filled delights with the iconic crispy bottoms completely from scratch.
- 1 Cup Warm Water
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Yeast
- 3 cups Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 cups Ground Pork
- 6 stalks Green Onion chopped
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tsp White Pepper
- 1 tbsp Dashi Powder or Chicken Powder Optional
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbsp Ginger Fresh, grated
Taiwanese Street Corn
Taiwanese Street Corn is one of those street stalls you can smell the from a block away at Raohe night market. It’s simple, but that rich, creamy layer of caramelized sauce just makes the corn extra, extra delicious after grilling. Trust me, you have to try this recipe in the summer. If you have 沙茶醬 Sacha sauce, it’ll taste even MORE authentic to the night market version. This will be a huge hit at every summer BBQ.
- 3 Corn
- 3-4 tbsp Japanese Mayo
- 1.5 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 0.5 tbsp Five-Spice Powder
- 0.25 tbsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1 pinch black pepper
Sizzling Black Pepper Beef Rice
Whenever we’re particularly hungry at a night market, there’s nothing more satisfying than Sizzling Black Pepper Beef Rice. It comes out on a screaming-hot iron plate, sauce still bubbling, with butter and pepper aroma hitting you before it’s even set down. Every bite of rice and meat is covered in this rich, peppery sauce. But, you can actually make this full meal at home as an easy one-pan dinner, right in your nonstick pan! It’s actually so easy, you HAVE to try it for a weeknight dinner.
- 1.5 tbsp Butter
- 4 tbsp Sizzling Black Pepper Sauce
- 1 onion
- 0.5 pound Thinly Sliced Beef
- 1 bowl Rice
Toppings
- Corn
- Green Onion
Scallion Pancake
There’s a reason why people wait in long lines for these crispy Scallion Pancakes in Taiwan. They’re literally perfect any time of the day, from breakfast to late night snack. With flaky layers and fresh scallion aroma, these easy pancakes are going to be your night market craving staple. Trust me, make a ton of these pancakes, and keep them in the freezer for snacking anytime!
Night Market Dessert Options
Crispy Sweet Potato Balls
Whenever I’m looking for something sweet in Taiwanese night markets, Crispy Fried Sweet Potato Balls are always a hit. This is one of the most popular Taiwanese desserts in any night market, from Ximending to Raohe Night Market. Can you believe these crispy sweet potato balls only takes 3 ingredients? They’re crispy, sweet, yet deliciously soft and chewy. Make these at home for your next family gathering, and they will be gone in a flash!
- 250 g Japanese Yam
- 2-3 tbsp Sugar
- 90 g Sweet Potato Flour/Tapioca Starch
Milk Mochi
This Traditional Milk Mochi is just like the ones you’ll find at traditional Old Street Night Markets, like Anping Old Street and Dihua Street in Taipei. Typically, this is served with a peanut or sesame sugar. I know it’s almost impossible to find this in North America. With this recipe, I can have as much of this traditional mochi as I want at home! It only takes 4 ingredients!
- ½ cup Tapioca Starch
- 1 cup Milk
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 4 tbsp Sesame Powder
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