A Hands-On Review of Taiwan’s 2025 Cooking Class: XLB, Pork Soup & Boba Tea
You know, there’s a special kind of feeling you get walking through a Taipei night market, right? The air is, like, thick with the smells of sizzling pork, sweet bubble tea, and a hundred other things that honestly make your stomach rumble with excitement. For years, my trips to Taiwan were just about eating, and to be honest, I was perfectly happy with that arrangement. I was, in a way, just a spectator to the magic happening in the kitchens and food stalls. Still, a little voice in my head kept wondering what it would be like to actually make these dishes myself, you know, from the very beginning. So, this time, I finally took the plunge and signed up for the Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B. It was, at the end of the day, an experience I really want to share with you, offering a genuine peek behind the curtain of these famous Taiwanese treats.
I found this class online, and what pulled me in was pretty much the menu. Xiao Long Bao, those delicate soup dumplings, are arguably my favorite food on the planet. And Pork Thick Soup, or Rou Geng, is the sort of comforting dish you crave on a cooler day. Plus, who wouldn’t want to learn how to make their own bubble tea? Seriously. It seemed like the perfect trio of Taiwanese culinary superstars. I was, frankly, a bit nervous. My cooking skills are more or less at the “don’t burn the water” level. But I figured, how hard could it be with an instructor? I went into it with an open mind and a very, very empty stomach, ready for whatever awaited me.
First Steps and a Warm Welcome
Finding the cooking studio was, you know, its own little adventure. It was apparently located down a quiet alley, away from the loud main streets of Taipei, which was actually quite charming. You could almost miss the simple wooden door if you weren’t looking for it. The moment I stepped inside, though, the scent of ginger and toasted sesame oil just greeted me. The space itself wasn’t huge; in fact, it was very intimate. There were just six cooking stations, each spotlessly clean and set up with a little wooden board, a rolling pin, and some bowls. This small group size was, I mean, a huge relief for a beginner like me, because it felt a lot less intimidating.
Our instructor, a cheerful woman named Mei, greeted us with a really warm smile that honestly put me at ease right away. She spoke excellent English, but she often peppered her speech with Taiwanese phrases, which sort of made the whole thing feel more authentic. She started by, like, giving us a brief history of the dishes we were about to cook, explaining their importance in Taiwanese culture. For instance, she talked about how Xiao Long Bao isn’t originally from Taiwan, but that Taiwan is arguably the place that made it world-famous. Her stories were, in a way, just as nourishing as the food we were about to prepare, setting a wonderful tone for the day’s activities.
Mastering the Delicate Art of Xiao Long Bao
First up was the main event: the Xiao Long Bao. Mei explained that the “soup” inside the dumpling is actually the real star. The secret, she showed us, is a rich pork broth that has been chilled until it turns into a firm jelly, or aspic. We got to see a block of this wobbly, amber-colored jelly, and Mei had us chop it into tiny cubes. This, she said with a little wink, was literally the magic. We then mixed it into the seasoned ground pork filling. You could see how, when steamed, that jelly would melt back into a delicious, savory liquid. It was, you know, a pretty cool revelation.
Next, of course, was the wrapper. I mean, this was the part I was most worried about. The dough was seemingly simple—just flour and water—but Mei was very particular about the texture. “It has to feel like your earlobe,” she said, as she came around to inspect our work. We kneaded and rolled, and my first few attempts at rolling a perfectly round, paper-thin wrapper were, to be honest, total failures. They were more or less oval, or square, or some other shape that doesn’t have a name. Mei was incredibly patient, though, showing me how to use the small rolling pin to thin out the edges while keeping the center slightly thicker. This, apparently, is to stop the dumpling from breaking when you pick it up.
Then came the pleating. A proper Xiao Long Bao is supposed to have at least eighteen folds. Mei demonstrated it with such speed and grace, her fingers moving like she was a musician. It was, quite frankly, mesmerizing to watch. My first attempt, on the other hand, looked like a lumpy, sad little pouch. Seriously. My second one was a bit better, maybe with ten messy pleats. Mei just laughed and said, “It’s okay, this one just has more personality!” By the fifth one, I sort of got the hang of it, producing something that almost resembled a real soup dumpling. We carefully placed our creations into bamboo steamers, feeling pretty proud of ourselves, you know, for just getting that far.
A Soulful Dive into Pork Thick Soup (Rou Geng)
While our dumplings were steaming, we moved on to the next dish, Rou Geng. This is a very popular Taiwanese street food staple, a kind of hearty, thickened soup that’s incredibly satisfying. Mei explained that the name refers to the preparation of the pork, which is typically coated in a fish paste mixture before being poached in the broth. This process gives the pork a uniquely springy and tender texture. Our job, first, was to prepare this pork mixture, combining strips of pork with seasonings and that signature fish paste. It was a slightly sticky, but really straightforward, process.
The soup base itself started with a clear, fragrant broth that had apparently been simmering for hours with pork bones and vegetables. The aroma was just fantastic. Our task was to bring it back to a gentle boil and then drop in our coated pork strips, one by one. They cooked almost instantly, floating to the surface. The final, and arguably most crucial step, was thickening the soup. We made a slurry with potato starch and water, and Mei showed us how to pour it into the pot in a slow, steady stream while stirring constantly. “You have to keep moving,” she advised, “or you get lumps!” It’s that part that really gives the soup its comforting character. We ladled the finished product into bowls and topped it with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of black vinegar. It looked and smelled absolutely divine.
The Grand Finale: Shaking Our Own Bubble Milk Tea
Just when we thought the fun was over, it was time for the grand finale: Bubble Milk Tea. Honestly, who doesn’t love bubble tea? Learning to make it from scratch felt like being given a superpower. Mei had already prepared the boba pearls for us, but she explained the process of making them from tapioca starch. For our class, we focused on cooking the pre-made pearls to perfection, which is actually more technical than you’d think. You have to boil them until they are soft and chewy but not mushy, and then shock them in an ice bath before soaking them in a rich brown sugar syrup. This is what gives them that classic, decadent flavor.
Next came the tea. We used a strong black tea, which Mei said provides a good, robust base that won’t get lost when you add the milk and sugar. We each got our own cocktail shaker, which was pretty exciting. We added the brewed tea, our choice of milk (or creamer), a bit of simple syrup, and a generous scoop of ice. Then came the best part: the shaking. The room was suddenly filled with the rhythmic sound of a dozen shakers going at once. It was so much fun, and you know, you kind of felt like a real barista. We poured our freshly shaken, frothy tea over a glass filled with those sweet boba pearls we had prepared earlier. Taking that first sip of a bubble tea that you literally just made yourself? It was, at the end of the day, an incredibly satisfying moment.
You really leave this class feeling like you’ve connected with Taiwanese food on a much deeper level. You’re not just a customer anymore; you’re someone who now understands, just a little bit, the work and love that goes into making these iconic dishes. It’s a completely different and very rewarding perspective to have.
- Who this class is perfect for: Honestly, it’s great for anyone, from total kitchen beginners to experienced home cooks who want to learn Taiwanese-specific techniques. The small class size means you get a lot of personal attention.
- What you actually learn: You definitely learn the key steps for making three very different, but equally important, Taiwanese dishes. You’ll know the secret to soupy dumplings, the method for a classic thick soup, and the right way to shake a boba tea.
- A small tip for you: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Your first dumpling might look a little wonky, and that’s totally okay. The instructor is there to help, and frankly, even the ugly dumplings taste amazing. Just have fun with it.
Read our full review: [Taiwan Cooking Class Full Review and Details]
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