A Taiwanese pork chop plate is a thing of beauty. The full monty version usually consists of:
- A crispy fried pork chop
- A halved tea egg (because the giant pork chop wasn’t enough protein—duh)
- Pickled mustard greens (for that perfectly pickled bit of tang)
- Sautéed cabbage
- A bed of steamed white rice
Which one do you eat first?! How do you approach all the elements of this heaping plate of goodness? The answer is simultaneously. Vigorously.
A Classic Taiwanese Dish
Taiwanese fried pork chops are right up there alongside other heavy hitting Taiwanese hits like Beef Noodle Soup and Gua Bao pork buns.
I have not yet made it to Taiwan, but I’ve seen plenty of Taiwanese dramas! (Given the current state of things, that’s probably as close as I’ll get for a while.)
The basic drama formula: doe-eyed girl falls for grumpy boy, and through a series of endless shenanigans, they get married! Inevitably, the relationship becomes a family affair, complete with kooky in-laws and many awkward family dinners. Naturally, I get distracted by the food.
See also: my track record watching Korean dramas. (Which is better? Wallowing in the protagonist’s abject heartache, or gazing at that hubcap-sized bowl of bibimbap she’s drowning her sorrows in?)
The Pork Chop Coating Debate
It seems there are two approaches to a Taiwanese fried pork chop—one calls for marinating the pork chops, then dredging them in a coating of potato starch to yield more of a crumb.
The alternative calls for marinating, and then a mixing of potato starch and water to make a paste that yields a uniform coating.
We’ve opted for the second, which creates a delicious consistency. Both are delicious, though, and it seems to be something of a personal preference.
Beyond the coating, successful frying hinges on a couple of things:
- hammering the pork chops to a ½-inch thickness
- making strategic cuts along the outer perimeter to make sure the pork chop stays flat
But we’ll get to that in the recipe.
Cheap Lunch to Eat Out…Or an Elaborate Dinner at Home
Just like a good bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup, the competition to be the best is fierce. In New York, I don’t know that I’d say there are Taiwanese pork chop turf wars, but there are two go-to’s: May Wah Fast Food and Taiwan Pork Chop House. Both are solid candidates, and the best part is, a pork chop plate will run you about $7!
At May Wah, they serve their Taiwanese pork chops with a gravy of sorts. Taiwan Pork Chop House nixes the sauce, which we’ve also opted to do. This is not only to make things easier for the home cook, we also prefer emphasizing the pure flavors of the pork chop with the rice and pickled greens.
That said, while this is a cheap meal to eat out, it’s a rich and delicious dish that takes some effort and pre-planning for the home cook. The pre-planning involves marinating the pork chops, and making the tea eggs. From there, just time your rice and cabbage correctly, and finish the whole thing with the stir-fried pickled mustard greens.
Not to worry, though, we’ve got all the instructions below for a successful go at home!
Taiwanese Pork Chop Plate: Recipe Instructions
First prepare the pork chops. Rinse them under cold running water to remove any bone fragments and other impurities (be sure to disinfect the sink after you’re done). To avoid curling during frying, make 1-inch cuts around the perimeter of the pork chop, about 1-2 inches apart.
After that, use a rolling pin to hammer the chops to a ½-inch thickness. It can help to put some parchment paper on top of the chops to prevent splatter.
Add them to a large bowl, and add the grated garlic, 3 tablespoons water, salt, sugar, white pepper, five spice powder, light soy sauce, wine, and 1 teaspoon potato starch. Mix thoroughly to coat the pork chops. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
While your pork chops are marinating, you’ll want to prepare some other items. First, the tea eggs—if you’re only letting your pork chops marinate for 3 hours, you’ll need to make the tea eggs the night before (you could also make plain hard-boiled eggs if pressed for time). You can also wash and chop the napa cabbage, and prepare your mustard green ingredients. You’ll also need to make rice!
When you’re ready to fry the pork chops, add the additional ½ cup water and ½ cup potato starch to the pork chops.
Toss them until they’re evenly coated in the resulting paste.
In a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, add about ¾ inch oil, and heat over medium high heat. When some of the marinade dipped into the hot oil sizzles vigorously, you’re ready to fry.
Fry the pork chops one at a time, carefully lowering them into the hot oil so they lay completely flat.
Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, lowering the heat to medium if needed (i.e. if the pork chops are getting too dark). Repeat with all four pork chops.
When you’re on the third or fourth pork chop, if you are able, we recommend getting some kitchen help and sautéing the mustard greens. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a hot wok until just smoking. Break the dried chili pepper in half and add it to the oil with the garlic.
After 20 seconds, add the mustard greens and sugar.
Stir until heated through (they should not take on any color). This quick process should take about 4-5 minutes.
You’ll also need to stir-fry your choice of greens. Add another couple tablespoons oil to your wok, and heat until it’s just smoking. Add the ginger and garlic, let sizzle for 10-20 seconds, and follow with the napa cabbage. Cook until the cabbage is wilted, and season with salt to taste.
The last thing to do is peel a couple of tea eggs, and you’re ready to assemble your Taiwanese Pork Chop plate!
On each plate, serve rice, a pile of cabbage, a healthy few spoonfuls of the mustard greens, a halved tea egg, and of course a pork chop! We also had a bit of my mom’s Chinese pickled cucumbers on the side.
This meal is hearty, delicious, and proclaimed to be the best Taiwanese pork chop we’ve ever had.
The recipe serves four very hungry people or 6 lighter eaters.
Taiwanese Pork Chop Plate
Ingredients
For the pork chops:
- 4 bone-in pork chops (about 2.5 lbs/1kg; we used bone-in pork loin end chops because they're fattier than center cut pork chops)
- 5 cloves garlic (grated)
- 3 tablespoons water (plus 1/2 cup, divided)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon five spice powder
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon potato starch (Plus ½ cup, divided. Traditionally, sweet potato starch is used; you can also use that, or cornstarch)
- vegetable oil (for frying)
For the mustard greens:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 dried red chili
- 1 clove garlic (chopped)
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 2-2.5 cups pickled mustard greens (chopped)
For the cabbage:
- 1 small head napa cabbage (washed and roughly chopped); can substitute any other leafy green)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 slice ginger (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic (sliced)
- salt (to taste)
To serve:
- 4-6 tea eggs (See our tea egg recipe. Note, they should be made the night before you plan to serve for optimal flavor. You can also substitute with plain hard-boiled eggs.)
- 6 cups cooked white rice (See our guide on perfect stovetop rice! Otherwise, be sure to time your rice cooker appropriately before you start frying the pork chops)
Instructions
- First prepare the pork chops. Rinse them under cold running water to remove any bone fragments and other impurities (be sure to disinfect the sink after you’re done). To avoid curling during frying, make 1-inch cuts around the perimeter of the pork chop, about 1-2 inches apart. After that, use a rolling pin to hammer the chops to a ½-inch thickness. It can help to put some parchment paper on top of the chops to prevent splatter.
- Add them to a large bowl, and add the grated garlic, 3 tablespoons water, salt, sugar, white pepper, five spice powder, light soy sauce, wine, and 1 teaspoon potato starch. Mix thoroughly to coat the pork chops. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- While your pork chops are marinating, you’ll want to prepare some other items. First, the tea eggs—if you’re only letting your pork chops marinate for 3 hours, you’ll need to make the tea eggs the night before (you could also make plain hard-boiled eggs if pressed for time). You can also wash and chop the napa cabbage, and prepare your mustard green ingredients. You’ll also need to make rice!
- When you’re ready to fry the pork chops, add the additional ½ cup water and ½ cup potato starch to the pork chops, and toss them until they’re evenly coated in the resulting paste. In a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, add about ¾ inch oil, and heat over medium high heat. When some of the marinade dipped into the hot oil sizzles vigorously, you’re ready to fry.
- Fry the pork chops one at a time, carefully lowering them into the hot oil so they lay completely flat. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, lowering the heat to medium if needed (i.e. if the pork chops are getting too dark). Repeat with all four pork chops.
- When you’re on the third or fourth pork chop, if you are able, we recommend getting some kitchen help and sauteeing the mustard greens. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a hot wok until just smoking. Break the dried chili pepper in half and add it to the oil with the garlic. After 20 seconds, add the mustard greens and sugar. Stir until heated through (they should not take on any color). This quick process should take about 4-5 minutes.
- You’ll also need to stir-fry your choice of greens. Add another couple tablespoons oil to your wok, and heat until it’s just smoking. Add the ginger and garlic, let sizzle for 10-20 seconds, and follow with the cabbage. Cook until the cabbage is wilted, and season with salt to taste.
- On each plate, serve rice, a pile of cabbage, a healthy few spoonfuls of the mustard greens, a halved tea egg, and of course a pork chop!
Love your recipes!! Made this the other for my pickers eaters at home. They all approved. I have try a lot of the recipes on your website and there are still a lot of them that I will try over time. For this recipe, can you use an Airfryer to cook the porkchop?
Hi Cindy, thank you! :) Also that’s an interesting idea, I’ve never tried it in an air fryer. My guess would be that you might want to try a thinner, dry coating of potato starch versus the heavy paste that goes on in the original recipe.
the pork chop marinade is excellent
Thank you, Yvonne!
Marinated for 90 minutes and still flavoursome. Thoroughly enjoyed by all. Really really filling😊 Thank you
Thanks, Dee! So glad you liked it :)
Would it be the same if it used a deep fryer?
Hi Y.L., you can use one but it’s not necessary!
This was a hit with my family! My mom bought a huge strip of pork loin and it’s so easy to overcook and dry out. But it was perfect to pound thin and fry quickly! Thanks for sharing this recipe
Thanks, May! I’m glad it worked out!
Is it ok to use boneless pork shoulder instead of pork chop?
Hi May, that should work! Just cut it into pork chop-like discs and then prepare as we described. Let us know how it goes!
This is my go to feel good treat in my favourite restaurant can’t get enough of the picked greens, just wondering with your recipe
1) which version of pickled mustard greens did you use as the link take me to an article of picked greens it’s hard to tell which one is related to the recipe
2)how do you make the flavour “neutral “ in taste instead of sour tasting ? This is how they have it in the restaurant so I don’t know there taste any other way
Hi Hadas, I usually use either the “potherb cabbage” packet or the can shown in this post for convenience, but you can use the ones that come in the vacuum sealed clear pouches also, it just requires that it be finely chopped first.
https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-mustard-greens-2/
Cooking the cabbage mellows the pickle flavor, but if it’s still too sour for you you can rinse the cabbage and drain it before cooking. Hope that helps!
Absolutely delicious. Will make this again. We did boneless chops with cabbage from our garden.
Thanks, Stephanie!
Well, that was seriously yummy, even though it’ll probably take a week to digest it (my problem, not yours)!
One problem with the recipe: too much liquid in the final paste you put on before frying the chops. It came out more like a slurry than a paste, that wouldn’t even cling to the meat. I poured off most of the liquid and added more starch. That’s why I took a star off the rating – otherwise excellent.
BTW, I really like the new format and the new look. Especially, thanks for putting a search button right up top, and the “jump to recipe” button.
Hahaha, glad you liked it Cheryl—insteresting problem, I didn’t have that issue, but I’m glad you were able to resolve it! The paste is more of a marinade than a batter, and I’m glad you found a workaround! It does require a surprising amount of starch to get the chops to where they need to be.
Glad you’re enjoying the new look and layout! :)
Amazing recipe! I didn’t marinade the meat for any time at all. Just mixed the ingredients in a bowl and threw in the starch and water. Turned out fantastic.
Thank you so much, Kevin! That’s great to know :) We’re fully supportive of getting pork into belly as quickly as possible.
Now that’s the kind of meal that will make you want a beer.
Couldn’t agree more!
Sooooo goooddd!!! I marinated overnight.. nearly 20 hours. The pork chop was amazing!! However, I did find that the pork chop stuck to the bottom of the pan, so it had to be unstuck when flipping. I tried to shimmy the best I could, but save for constantly moving it, it still stuck.