Taiwanese Fried Pork Chops (Bento Box Style!)
Taiwanese Fried Pork Chops is the ultimate comfort food that you can find in bento boxes in Taiwan. Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender inside, Taiwanese Pork Chops is super easy to make at home and the perfect weeknight dinner. Pair Taiwanese Pork Chops with a side of warm rice and spicy cucumber salad, and you got the traditional Taiwanese Bento boxes.
My First Ever Recipe: Mom’s Taiwanese Pork Chops 炸豬排
My mom used to make me Taiwanese Pork Chops for dinner at least once a week. It was one of the first recipes I learned to make when I moved out on my own. Whenever pork chops go on sale at the supermarket, I knew I would be making Taiwanese Pork Chops. The pork is tender and seasoned to perfection; I can have bowls and bowls of rice whenever I make Taiwanese Pork Chops.
Taiwanese Pork Chop is honestly such an underrated comfort food! I highly recommend trying these bento boxes at train stations for those who have never been to Taiwan or want to visit Taiwan one day. When my fiance and I traveled around Asia a couple of years ago, we were shocked at how delicious train food is in Taiwan.
Taiwanese Pork Chop Ingredients
- 2 piece Pork Chops
- 1.5 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2.5 tbsp minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tbsp Five-Spice Powder
- 1 tsp White Pepper
Frying Batter
- 1 whole Egg
- 3 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1.5 cup Sweet Potato Flour/ Tapioca Starch
- Oil for shallow frying
Tricks for Tender Pork Chops
There are a few tricks to ensure that Taiwanese Pork Chops stay tender when pan-fried.
- Cut slits along the fat to prevent the meat from curling.
- Using the back of the knife to tenderize the pork on both sides.
- A teaspoon of baking soda to help crisp up the pork.
- Marinate the pork for at least an hour to season and tenderize the meat.
Tips For Frying Pork Chops
What gives the pork chop its crispiness is the combination of baking soda and corn starch in the marinade, and dusting of tapioca starch. The tapioca starch gives the pork chop that iconic, slight chew to Taiwanese pork chops. To ensure that the tapioca starch doesn’t fall off the pork chops,make sure to let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the starch and the batter to stick together.
I love that you don’t need a lot of oil to pan-fry the Taiwanese Pork Chops. A shallow amount of oil is all you need to pan-fry. Make sure that the oil covers up to half of the pork chop’s edge.
How To Make Bento Pork Chops
- Prepare the pork by cutting through the fat at the edge and flattening the pork with the back of the knife. This will prevent the pork from curling up when it is fried.
- Marinate the pork with minced garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, baking powder, sugar, white pepper, and five-spice powder. Mix and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Add in 1 egg and 3 tbsp of Corn Starch and mix.
- Cover the pork with sweet potato flour and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Fry at medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Do you want more Taiwanese Recipes? Here are some of my go-to comfort foods
- Chow Mein (Authentic Traditional Recipe!)
- Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls (3 Ingredients!)
- Popcorn Mushroom (CRISPY & JUICY!)
- Chicken and Rice (MUST TRY!)
Taiwanese Fried Pork Chops (Bento Box Style!)
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 2 piece Pork Chops
- 1.5 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2.5 tbsp minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tbsp Five-Spice Powder
- 1 tsp White Pepper
Frying Batter
- 1 whole Egg
- 3 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1.5 cup Sweet Potato Flour/ Tapioca Starch
- Oil for shallow frying
Instructions
- Prepare the pork by cutting through the fat at the edge and flattening the pork with the back of the knife. This will prevent the pork from curling up when it is fried.
- Marinate the pork with minced garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, baking soda, sugar, white pepper, and five-spice powder. Mix and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Add in 1 egg and 3 tbsp of Corn Starch and mix.
- Cover the pork with sweet potato flour and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Fry at medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Is this meant to be 1.5 tsp or 1.5 tbsp 5 spice?
1.5 tablespoon – however, 5 spice does have a strong flavor, so if you’re not a huge fan of 5 spice, you can decrease the amount accordingly.
These were so flavourful and delicious! I am not the biggest fan of Chinese 5-spice so I did 1 tsp and thought it was perfect! I served it her smashed cucumber salad and it was equally delicious!
Confused about the egg and corn starch step. Is it intended to be an egg wash for the potato starch?
Hi Rob! Yes, the egg and corn starch step is a simplified egg wash before the sweet potato flour. Mixing it in makes sure that all the pork chops are evenly coated!
Tiffy
The comments mention baking soda but the recipe does not. Which is correct?
This came out really good. I used a meat thermometer and pan fried the pork chops because I tend to overcook them. Super flavorful and tasty even though I’m sure it would’ve turned out even better if I deep fried them. I lessened the five spice powder just a bit.
Hi, in your video, you mentioned baking soda bur is isnt in your recipe. How much did you use?
Hi! I made these and they were super delicious! If I wanted to make it in bulk and freeze them for future cooking (like I do with chicken katsu), would that be possible?
Yes! That’s absolutely possible!
Tiffy
You mentioned about baking soda in your notes, when do we add it? I don’t see it in your recipe/method.
It’s written that you should put it in the marinade
I made this and my husband and I loved it! I let it marinate overnight. I didn’t have tapioca starch so I used more cornstarch instead and it turned out wonderful. Just wanted to say I love how easy and delicious these recipes are!