Sliced pork offal (hei bai qie)

What it is

Hei bai qie is a plate of cooked meats and offal that noodle and snack stalls slice to order. Pork heart, liver and tongue are common, cooked in the same pot as the noodle broth. It is quick to serve and uses the whole pig.

Where it comes from

The name comes from Taiwanese Hokkien oo-pe̍h, literally 'black and white', which also means 'any old way'. One explanation is that a customer unsure what to order names a budget or party size and lets the vendor cut a selection. In Chiayi the same thing is called lóo-sio̍k-bah (滷熟肉).

How it is made

Stalls cook the cuts in their simmering broth and lift them out as each is done. They are sliced when you order. At Cheng's Noodles in Kaohsiung the pork heart, liver and tongue come out of the pot from around 10 am.

How to eat it

Point at what you want, or name a budget, and eat it alongside noodles or rice noodle soup. Grated garlic is a good addition if offered.

In Kaohsiung

Cheng's Noodles in Yancheng, about 90 years old and now run by the third generation, serves its offal plates with noodles in a broth of pork bones, chicken and vegetables.