'San bei' flavors a crowd pleaser

"I really love the san bei dishes - San Bei Ji (Three Cup Chicken), or San Bei Squid, or clams or eggplant," says The Food of Taiwan author Cathy Erway. "It has a flavor combination that I find irresistible, and I think it's so much fun that you can apply it to practically anything, like lamb or tofu and who knows what else.

"I think it's a crowd-pleasing dish to Americans and practically anyone who's come across it," she adds. "In my experience, it's one of the few Taiwanese dishes that people who aren't Taiwanese have actually heard of. Since writing the book, I have also heard many compliments on how good it tastes when people try making it themselves."

Here's how to do just that (recipe courtesy of the author and publisher):