Taiwanese Turkey Rice

Turkey over rice is considered a traditional Taiwanese dish, but just how turkeys got to the island is a bit of an enigma. They are not well suited to Taiwan’s hot subtropical climate, nor are they common in most of Asia. Most people say Dutch colonists introduced the birds sometime in the 17th century.   

Today, turkey is a popular commodity on the island: roughly 200,000 to 300,000 are bred each year, almost exclusively for restaurants. There, they are poached in a flavorful broth, then shredded and dressed with a savory, lard-enriched sauce made from the broth and light soy sauce. Light soy sauce, which is made from the first pressing of fermented soy beans, is commonly used in Taiwan, in part because it’s naturally a bit sweeter than all-purpose soy sauce. The dish is completed with a garnish of crispy fried shallots and is traditionally served at room temperature.  

For the home cook, there are two ways of making this dish: You can either use leftover turkey meat and dress it with sauce, or start from scratch with raw bone-in turkey. Breasts are recommended here instead of a whole bird. But if you get your hands on a petite turkey—one small enough to fit snugly in a stockpot—just scale up the measurements based on the turkey’s weight.