Rock sugar

冰糖 bīngtáng

Flavor and role

Refined sugar set into large crystals, with a clear, mellow sweetness. It gives braises a glossy finish and a clean taste.

Typical dishes and uses

Hong shao rou (red-braised pork), beef noodle soup, Korean steamed pear (baesuk), Chinese teas and desserts

Substitutes

1 tbsp rock sugar (crushed) = 1 tbsp white or light brown sugar.

Storage

Airtight at dry room temperature, indefinitely.

Main countries

China · HK

Used in this book

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵)Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice)Bone Broth Red-Braised Beef Noodle SoupRed-Braised Beef Rice BowlHand-Cut Lu Rou Fan with Shiitake and Caramel BraiseRed-Braised Osso Buco with Ginger-Scallion GremolataPhở Đặc Biệt with 4-Hour Oxtail Broth

Updated 2026-10-10