Dishes
Herbal tonic soup
藥膳湯
Also called: 麻油雞 (Moâ-iû-ke, sesame oil chicken) · 麻油麵線 (sesame-oil noodles) · 進補 (tonic food)
Soups simmered with Chinese medicinal herbs, or with sesame oil, ginger and rice wine, eaten to build strength.
Photo: Richard, enjoy my life! from 台北市, ROC Taiwan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Legoleehk, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rockhsp, CC BY-SA 4.0What it is
Taiwanese tonic (進補) food is cooked with Chinese herbs or warming ingredients. Sesame oil chicken, chicken browned with old ginger in sesame oil and simmered in rice wine, is the classic dish for women recovering after childbirth. At Po Jen Tang in Tainan, the herbal soups are mild in herbal flavour.
Where it comes from
Po Jen Tang (博仁堂) was a Chinese medicine shop for about a century before becoming a restaurant. The sixth-generation owner kept the old apothecary cabinets.
How it is made
For sesame oil chicken, chicken pieces are blanched, browned in sesame oil with old ginger, then simmered in rice wine and water for about half an hour. Using only rice wine gives a stronger, sweeter result.
How to eat it
Tonic food is traditionally eaten in winter. At Po Jen Tang, ask staff which soup suits you, and order the set with sesame-oil noodles, a drink and a sweet soup.
Where to eat it in Tainan
Sources