Editors’ Note: Most ingredients are measured with the heart. Everything in these recipes can be found at local grocery stores.
When I first came to UC Santa Cruz, I searched all throughout campus for a good Chinese/Taiwanese meal. As much as the dining halls make an effort to branch out, none of the foods have a truly authentic taste.
When I moved off campus in my second year, I took that search into the city of Santa Cruz. But honestly, I was still disappointed with the city’s limited number of Asian restaurants and grocery stores. Nothing enveloped me in the nostalgic feeling of eating a childhood dish, whisking all my worries away.
I like to shop at Trader Joe’s to buy many of the ingredients for these dishes. Here I am grabbing ground pork and green onion pancakes for dinner
So instead, I scoured Safeway (the Asian foods aisle has practically become my home), Grocery Outlet, New Leaf, World Market and Trader Joe’s, gathering a ragtag cast of ingredients that I could throw together when feeling desperate for a sweet taste of home.
Slowly, I began to adapt, cooking familiar dishes in my kitchen from what I could find around town. However, not everyone has the time and privilege to experiment with cooking, so I have put together two simple 小吃 (small eats) recipes using Santa Cruz’s food and grocery availability.
Recipe #1 – Scallion Egg Pancakes 蛋餅 (dàn bǐng)
A stack of scallion egg pancakes. Don’t they look lovely? Feb. 10, 2026.
Scallion egg pancakes originated after the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, and have been a staple in Taiwanese cuisine ever since. With a unique, chewy texture also known as “Q” in Taiwan, the dish itself is made from savory scallion pancakes (蔥油餅), paired with an omelet on top, then folded and cut into pieces.
I usually buy pre-made pancakes from the store for convenience, but you can also make the dough yourself. Just knead flour, potato starch, glutinous rice flour and water together! I list the Trader Joe’s brand below, which does the job, but if you are able to make the trip over the hill to visit an Asian food market, you can get the I-Mei brand as well. In my opinion, it tastes a lot more authentic and achieves that “Q” texture.
The omelet can also have other ingredients. Some of my favorite fillings are ham and cheese, pork floss, bacon and kimchi! One bite of this delicious breakfast with Taiwanese soymilk (豆漿) will guarantee a great start to your day.
Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Total: 30 minutes
*This recipe makes one pancake.
What you’ll need:
½ spoonful of olive oil
x1 pack of Trader Joe’s frozen green onion pancakes
x1 egg
Hoisin sauce
Pinch of salt
x1 green onion stalk (optional)
| Steps: 1. Crack one egg into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and mix until smooth. Set aside for now. 2. Add oil to a frying pan and turn the heat just above high. Wait for the pan to heat up. Once the oil is warm and runny, add your frozen scallion pancake. Flip every 45 seconds. 3. When the pancake turns golden-brown, it’s ready. Remove the pancake from the pan and transfer it to a serving plate. 4. Turn the heat to low. Add more oil if needed. Pour the egg and salt mixture from step one onto one side of the pan, creating a crescent moon shape. While the egg is still liquid, you can add other fillings, but be sure to do so before the egg solidifies, so the pancake and egg stick together. When you are ready to continue, place the pancake on top. 5. Once you know the egg has finished cooking, flip the pancake over and fold into thirds. Use kitchen scissors to cut your pancake into equal pieces. 6. Drizzle with hoisin sauce and garnish with sliced green onions for taste. Serve and enjoy! |
Recipe #2 – Braised Minced Pork Over Rice 肉燥飯 (ròu zào fàn):
A finished and plated braised minced pork over rice. Feb. 10, 2026.
A combination of braised ground pork topped with green onions, a hearty hard-boiled egg and fluffy steamed rice brings together the perfect balance of warm, cozy and fragrant.
Growing up, I often used to ask my mom to cook this, and I never got tired of eating it. Its rich, flavorful profile often transports me to the night markets around Taiwan. I learned how to make this dish in high school, and it has since been a saving grace for me in college.
The recipe is tweaked for simplicity, ingredient scarcity and time. Everything for this dish can be bought at Trader Joe’s or Safeway, making it reliable and accessible.
Prep: 30-45 minutes 45 minutes Total: ~1 hour and 30 minutes
*This recipe makes two-to-three bowls for the average college student.
What you’ll need:
1½ cups of rice
1 pack of ground pork
A splash of your preferred cooking oil
1 – 2 eggs
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 spoonful of cornstarch
Green onions
| Steps: 1. Steam your rice with a rice cooker or pot. 2. Slice your green onions into small pieces. 3. Boil your egg(s) for 6 minutes, then peel the shell and put them in a container filled with soy sauce to marinate. 4. Heat cooking oil in a pan. 5. After the pan heats up, add your ground pork. Use a spatula to break apart the meat, separating it into smaller pieces so it cooks evenly. 6. Once the meat begins to brown brown, add your soy sauces. At this point, there will be a lot of liquid in the pan, and the meat should be darkening as you go. Keep stirring the meat and add cornstarch so the sauce congeals. 7. Once the meat is cooked and the sauce becomes a thicker consistency, remove from the pan and garnish with green onion. 8. Remove your egg from the marinade t and cut it in half. Serve with your rice and enjoy! |
For many families of color, food is more than just sustenance. It’s an extension of our cultures, history and souls. The changes I make to these recipes highlight my Taiwanese heritage along with my American upbringing. Even in an Asian food desert, I will always embrace my multiculturalism.
