Pai gu fan 排骨飯 simply translates to pork chop rice, but it is much more than that! This is a very special convenience food made popular by the Taiwanese railway company 鐵路便當. Many people enjoyed this meal on their travels. Now many more people just enjoy this “bian dang” anytime and anywhere! It’s a classic Taiwanese street food that started as railway food!
Taiwanese pork chop rice
The ingredients 食材 (for 4 people);
ingredients
- COOKING SAUCE
- half a bowl of soy sauce
- 4 star anise
- 2 spring onions
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp 5 spice
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp of rice wine
- 3 bowls of boiling water.
- MEAL:
- 4 pork chops
- eggs
- sweet potato flour
- MARINATING SAUCE:
- soy sauce
- sugar
- 1 uncooked egg
- spring onions and garlic
- SIDE DISH:
- green vegetables, carrots
- sour pickled vegetables
- +rice
The method 作法;
- First of all we made the cooking sauce. Get all the “COOKING SAUCE” ingredients above and put them in a pan and heat it up
- Now we have to prepare the pork chops. Hammer them to make them softer. Also cut the rhind so they don’t shrink too much.
- The pork chops should now be marinated in the MARINATING SAUCE, using the ingredients above, rub them all together and leave it all for over an hour
- After marination coat the chops in sweet potato flour ready for frying.
- Shallow fry the coated chops until golden brown, then transfer them to the pan cooking the sauce for 5 minutes
- Fry the sour pickle and boil your side vegetables of choice (we used carrots and asparagus)
- That’s it, ready to serve on a bad of rice!
Taiwanese pork chop rice
Joanne has recorded a how to make Pai gu Fan Taiwan pork chop 排骨飯 cooking video so you can see and follow the exact method and tiumings she uses. We hope you really enjoy this Taiwanese street food classic meal!
How to make Pai gu Fan Taiwan pork chop 排骨飯 cooking video
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14 comments
K wH says:
Mar 10, 2013
Great website. Excellent recipes with simple dishes for everyday meal. You should put all these recipes in a cook book with English instructions and the great pictures. I’m Taiwanese living in California, but unfortunately I don’t read mandarin. But I really like Taiwanese home food and street food. I can follow the instructions easily and watch the video. Thanks for adding new recipes.
jj.lymm says:
Mar 10, 2013
Sounds like Taiwan Duck is just perfect for you! Thanks for your comments 🙂
vitz says:
Jun 29, 2013
hi! will the porkchop still be crispy after you put it in the cooking sauce?
jj.lymm says:
Jun 30, 2013
It’s traditional style to be soft. However if you like crispy, like Mark does, you can add the sauce like a kind of “gravy” later. Try it that way if you like!
Taiwanese Cuisine — Hong Zao Zha Zhupai: Jujube-Marinated Pork Cutlet | The World Cup of Food says:
Apr 13, 2014
[…] adapted from the April 2010 Saveur and from the Taiwan Duck recipe for pai gu fan […]
Dave says:
May 16, 2014
Hi,
What are the amounts for the marinating ingredients?
jj.lymm says:
May 16, 2014
Hi Dave, 2tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tsp of sugar. That should be enough!
Natalie G says:
Jun 2, 2014
Hii..I can’t find sweet potato flour here, can I use sweet rice flour (like Mochiko)? or could you please suggest a substitute?
Thank you so much.
jj.lymm says:
Jun 7, 2014
can you find bread crumbs, that might be nice?
Pork Chop Rice Taiwanese Style | Marina's Kitchen says:
Jun 10, 2015
[…] Tested Recipe Adapted from taiwanduck.com […]
Mark S says:
Jul 7, 2016
How much is 1/2 a bowl soy sauce – 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz ?
mark says:
Jul 7, 2016
probably about 5oz / 150ml, (its just half a Chinese rice bowl)
Brian Cho says:
Oct 12, 2016
What setting of the stove should the cooking sauce be.
low, medium or high. Also how long should we be heating the cooking sauce, before the pork is ready to go in.
Thank you very much
PAI GU FAN aka PAI KU FAN (crispy fried pork chop over rice) recipe gateway: thi... - Bernette Selwyn says:
Apr 10, 2020
[…] post’s link goes for a dry pan-fried version AND a shallow oil cook serve can be found at taiwanduck.com/… (Taiwan) (writingwithmymouthfull) […]