What it is
Lamb skin roll (羊皮卷, also written 羊皮捲) is lamb skin rolled tightly into a log and cut into slices that show a spiral pattern. It is soft, springy and full of gelatin, a little like pig's head skin, with only a faint mutton smell. It is sold at Lien Wu Chiao Lamb Soup (蓮霧腳羊肉湯) in Xinhua, a district of Tainan.
How it is made
The method is close to braised pork skin (滷豬皮): the skin is cooked, rolled into a long log and sliced before serving. The work is slow, so only a small batch is made, and only for weekends and public holidays. The shop's lamb comes from central Taiwan and is delivered on the day of slaughter.
How to eat it
Order it as a side to the shop's angelica lamb soup. The slices can be eaten plain or dipped in the house garlic sauce (蒜蓉醬), which also masks any gamey note. Supplies run out, so arrive early or phone ahead to have some kept aside.
Around Taiwan
- Tainan
- Lien Wu Chiao began as a stall in Xinhua's market before moving into a shop, and has traded for over 70 years. It joined the Michelin Bib Gourmand list in 2025. Its angelica broth simmers for at least four hours and is poured over raw sliced lamb.
