Taiwan Food Atlas

Miaoli Hakka Stir-fry

Pork, dried squid, celery, and pressed tofu tossed over high heat — the first dish that defines a Hakka village
📍 Miaoli · Sanwan / Toufen🏆 Legendary · Meat🔥 The lead dish among the Hakka Four-Braise Four-Fry classics

Walk into almost any Hakka restaurant in Miaoli and flip to the first page of the menu — you will find it there. In the wok, sliced pork, dried squid, pressed tofu, and celery tumble over roaring flames; the moment soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar hit the pan, a savory aroma rises and the dish arrives glistening at the table. Pair it with steamed rice and bowl after bowl disappears. Hakka Stir-fry is regarded as the signature stir-fried dish in the Hakka "Four Braises and Four Stir-fries" canon, and in Miaoli — the county with the highest share of Hakka residents in Taiwan — it is practically the emblem of every Hakka village.

What is Hakka Stir-fry

Hakka Stir-fry is made with pork belly, dried squid, pressed tofu (dougan), celery, and scallions, stir-fried over high heat with garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine. In the early days of Hakka villages, resources were scarce; leftover dried squid, pork, and pressed tofu from seasonal celebrations were too precious to discard, so they were shredded, stir-fried together, and seasoned heavily to go with rice. Over time the dish became a fixture at banquet tables. The dried squid must be soaked until soft and then julienned so its briny, savory depth can fully merge with the rendered pork fat — this step is the soul of the dish.

Miaoli County has the highest proportion of Hakka residents of any county in Taiwan. From Toufen, Sanwan, and Nanzhuang to Gongguan, Tongluo, and Shitan, every Hakka village has its own version. The "A-Wu Sao's Restaurant" in Sanwan won the national grand championship at the 2020 Hakka Stir-fry National Competition, marking the moment this everyday dish stepped onto a competitive stage. Each kitchen has its own ratio of seasonings — some lean sweeter, others saltier — but the core character of savory richness that pairs perfectly with rice never changes. It is the standard first choice on a Miaoli Hakka dining table.

How to eat it like a local

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Pair with steamed riceHakka Stir-fry is intentionally high in salt, designed to accompany rice — one plate can take down two bowls of white rice.
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Eat it hotIt tastes best straight from the wok; once it cools, the squid tightens and the pressed tofu loses its glossy texture.
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Have it with beerThe bold, savory flavors cut beautifully against an ice-cold beer — a classic combination at Miaoli Hakka evening tables.
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Add a soupIt is typically balanced with a pot of preserved mustard greens and pork soup or bitter melon and spare rib soup — the standard pairing on a Hakka spread.

Local knowledge

Verified facts (sponsor-filtered)

  • A-Wu Sao's Restaurant won the national grand championship at the 2020 Hakka Stir-fry National Competition.
  • The Council for Hakka Affairs lists Hakka Stir-fry as one of the representative dishes in the Hakka Four Braises and Four Stir-fries.
  • Miaoli County has the highest proportion of Hakka residents in Taiwan; nearly every Hakka village restaurant serves this dish.

Tips for visiting

  • Hakka restaurants fill up on weekends — arrive before noon or make a reservation to be safe.
  • Restaurants in the mountain-side Hakka villages (Sanwan, Nanzhuang) tend toward sweeter versions; coastal-side versions are comparatively lighter.
  • If you find the dish too salty, ask for an extra bowl of rice or a soup to balance it out.

Information compiled from the Miaoli County Government Tourism Bureau, township and district farmers' associations, and large-scale public reviews; sponsored listings have been excluded. Photos to be replaced with channel-exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.

🗺️ View on the map ← All Miaoli dishes