Taiwanese Braised Cold Dish 滷味拼盤
Let’s make a Vegetarian Taiwanese Braised Cold Dish 滷味拼盤 with braised egg, tofu, and seaweed!! Slowly braised until every ingredient is infused with flavor, this dish is served cold, drizzled in a delicious Taiwanese Garlic Dipping Sauce. The longer the braise, the richer the taste! This assorted plate of sliced braised ingredients called 滷味 (luwei) is Taiwan’s favorite appetizer, and it will be yours too!
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Taiwanese Favorite Appetizer: Braised Cold Dish
You can find Braised Cold Dish everywhere in Taiwan- from restaurants to street food stands. In fact, we had so much of this during my trip back to Tainan. Every restaurant has its own secret blend of spices in their braise, and I had to try them all!
Growing up in Taiwan, one of my favorite things to do eating out is picking our Cold Dish appetizer. There’s usually a range of ingredients you can choose from, which typically includes egg, tofu, seaweed, fish cakes, and more. Some also offer different cuts of blanched or braised meat, like braised beef shank. Today, we’re making a fully vegetarian version, with egg, tofu, and seaweed.
Ingredients for Taiwanese Braised Cold Dish
- 6 tbsp Four season scallion sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 Star Anise
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 3 dried shittake mushroom
- 1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorn
- 1-2 cup Water
Braising Ingredients
- Kelp
- Hard Boiled Egg
- Medium-firm Tofu
- fish cakes
Braising Stock 滷水
The key to the Taiwanese Braised Cold Dish is the braising stock 滷水. Today, we’re using kai dong’s Four Season Scallion Sauce as a base because it’s just the right amount of sweet and fragrant from scallions and shallots. We add some special dried shittake mushrooms, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorn for an earthy, but spicy flavor. The longer the ingredients sit and simmer braise, the richer they will taste!
Strain the braise and freeze it so you can reuse it for next time! The braise should be good for 2-3 more rounds of ingredients.
Seaweed Knots
Seaweed is another must have ingredient for braised cold dish! The seaweed we’re using today is actually Kelp, or Kombu. It is much thicker than the seaweed from the thinly layered seaweed snacks. It has a chewy texture, and absorbs plenty of delicious flavor.
Some restaurants in Taiwan braise the seaweed knots as well. I prefer to cook it separately. Since it’s naturally already salty, you don’t need the added flavor. Adding the kelp into the braise can also make the braise super sticky and thick.
Braised Hard Boiled Eggs
Eggs are a signature part of this cold dish thanks to their creamy golden yolk. I like to use peeled hard-boiled eggs that have been boiled for about 8-10 minutes to get that fully cooked yolk. The braise soaks into the egg white, making it spicy and salty — perfectly rounded out with the egg yolk’s creamy texture. As the eggs simmer in the braising sauce, their outer layers gets that deeper color and a satisfying flavor.
Step By Step Guide to Taiwanese Braised Cold Dish
- Soak seaweed in warm water.
- Add Four Season Scallion Sauce, Water, Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Star Anise, Bay leaf, Mushroom, and Sichuan Peppercorn in a pot and bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add peeled hard boiled eggs and tofu, and let it gently simmer on low heat for 2 hours.
- Once the seaweed is softened, roll them up and secure with a toothpick.
- Simmer in hot water for 20 minutes or until tender.
- Let everything rest in the fridge overnight to let the flavor soak in.
- Serve with Taiwanese savory garlic sauce.
Bring more Taiwanese Street Food Recipes to Your Kitchen!
Taiwanese Braised Cold Dish 滷味拼盤
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Four season scallion sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 Star Anise
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 3 dried shittake mushroom
- 1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorn
- 1-2 cup Water
Braising Ingredients
- Kelp
- Hard Boiled Egg
- Medium-firm Tofu
Instructions
- Soak seaweed in warm water.
- Add Four Season Scallion Sauce, Water, Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Star Anise, Bay leaf, Mushroom, and Sichuan Peppercorn in a pot and bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add peeled hard boiled eggs and tofu, and let it gently simmer on low heat for 2 hours.
- Once the seaweed is softened, roll them up and secure with a toothpick.
- Simmer in hot water for 20 minutes or until tender.
- Let everything rest in the fridge overnight to let the flavor soak in.
- Serve with Taiwanese savory garlic sauce.
