Taiwan Food Atlas

Donggang Oilfish Roe

Thicker and larger than mullet roe — Donggang's prized accompaniment to drinks
📍 Pingtung · Donggang · Chaolong Road🏆 Specialty · Local Produce🟫 Third of the Three Treasures — savory, salty, and chewy

Walking through the Chaolong Road area of Donggang in late summer through early winter, you often see shop owners hanging orange-gold roe slabs under wooden frames to sun-dry. Larger and thicker than typical mullet roe, with a beautiful curve at the edges — this is Donggang oilfish roe, the third of Donggang's Three Treasures, and the pocket pick of local food lovers for drinking snacks at the New Year.

What is Donggang Oilfish Roe

Oilfish roe is not mullet roe. It is made from the ovaries of oilfish (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, escolar), processed through salting, pressing, and sun-drying. Compared to mullet roe, it is larger, thicker, saltier, and richer in fat, with a texture that is springy yet chewy. Sliced thin and pan-fried until fragrant, then eaten with garlic shoots, white radish slices, or apple slices, the contrast of salty richness and fresh sweetness is the classic way to enjoy it — and a connoisseur's choice for Taiwanese banquet spreads and New Year gift boxes.

Why Donggang? The Donggang Township Office lists oilfish roe as the third of the 'Three Treasures of Donggang,' and the local processing and drying industry is well established. Deep-sea oilfish caught by Donggang ocean-going vessels are brought to the cluster of dried-goods shops along Chaolong Road and Xinsheng 3rd Road, where traditional methods — removing the roe sac, salting, and sun-drying — produce oilfish roe with evenly distributed saltiness and beautifully spread fat, the hallmark of Donggang's craft. The category is defined by a cluster of producers rather than a single dominant shop; choosing a reputable long-standing store and reading the origin label clearly is what matters most.

How to eat it like a local

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Slice thin and pan-fryCut into 0.3 cm slices and dry-fry over low heat in a flat pan, or sear briefly with a splash of sorghum liquor. Lightly browned on both sides is enough — overcooking makes it dry and hard.
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Pair with garlic shoots and white radishServe pan-fried oilfish roe with the white part of garlic shoots and thin slices of white radish. The salty richness against the clean, slightly pungent freshness is the classic Taiwanese pairing.
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An ideal drinking snackHigh in salt and fat, it pairs well with sake, sorghum liquor, or red wine. No need for large amounts — a thin slice is plenty.
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Freeze for storageUnopened, it keeps about six months refrigerated, and longer frozen. Once opened, seal tightly and refrigerate; consume soon to avoid oxidation.

Local knowledge

Verified endorsements (sponsored content filtered out)

  • The Donggang Township Office designates oilfish roe as the third of the 'Three Treasures of Donggang' and one of Donggang's representative dried goods.
  • Chaolong Road and Xinsheng 3rd Road form Donggang's dried-goods cluster, with many shops operating for 30 years or more.
  • Donggang's climate and processing techniques produce oilfish roe with evenly distributed saltiness and beautifully spread fat — making it the main production area in Taiwan.

Visitor tips

  • Oilfish roe is high in salt and fat; those with sensitive digestion should not eat too much at once — thin slices for tasting is the right approach.
  • When buying, look for origin labels reading 'locally processed in Donggang.' Some products use imported roe processed elsewhere, and the flavor is noticeably different.
  • Price gaps in gift box sets can be large; head directly to the dried-goods cluster on Chaolong Road to compare prices — considerably cheaper than tourist-area shops.

Information compiled from the Pingtung County Government Tourism Bureau, Donggang Township Office, and large volumes of public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with exclusive channel footage after Dio's on-site shoot.

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