Taiwanese cuisine
Encyclopedia
Taiwanese cuisine has several variations. In addition to the following representative dishes from the people of Hoklo (Hō-ló)
ethnicity (see Taiwanese people
), there are also Aboriginal, Hakka
, and local derivatives of Chinese cuisine
s (one famous example of the last is beef noodle soup
).
Taiwanese cuisine itself is often associated with influences from mid to southern provinces of Mainland China, most notably from the province of Fujian
(Hokkien), but influences from all of Mainland China can easily be found. A notable Japanese influence
exists due to the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule
. Traditional Chinese food can be found in Taiwan, alongside Fujian and Hakka-style as well as native Taiwanese dishes, includes dishes from Guangdong
, Jiangxi
, Chaoshan, Shanghai
, Hunan
, Sichuan and Beijing
.
, seafood, rice
, and soy are very common ingredients. Beef
is far less common, and some Taiwanese (particularly the elderly generation) still refrain from eating it. This is in part due to the considerations of some Taiwanese Buddhists
, a traditional reluctance towards slaughtering precious cattle needed for agriculture, and an emotional attachment and feeling of gratefulness and thanks to the animals traditionally used for very hard labour. Curiously, the Taiwanese version of beef noodle soup
remains one of the most popular dishes in Taiwan, in spite of this traditional aversion.
Taiwan's cuisine has also been influenced by its geographic location. Living on a crowded island, the Taiwanese had to look aside from the farmlands for sources of protein. As a result, seafood
figures prominently in their cuisine. This seafood encompasses many different things, from large fish such as tuna
and grouper
, to sardines and even smaller fish such as anchovies. Crustacean
s, squid
, and cuttlefish
are also eaten.
Because of the island's sub-tropical location, Taiwan has an abundant supply of various fruit, such as papayas, starfruit
, melons, and citrus
fruit. A wide variety of tropical fruits, imported and native, are also enjoyed in Taiwan. Other agricultural products in general are rice
, corn
, tea
, pork
, poultry
, beef
, fish
, and other fruits and vegetables. Fresh ingredients in Taiwan are readily available from markets.
In many of their dishes, the Taiwanese have shown their creativity in their selection of spices. Taiwanese cuisine relies on an abundant array of seasonings for flavour: soy sauce
, rice wine
, sesame oil
, fermented black beans
, pickled daikon
, pickled mustard greens
, peanut
s, chili pepper
s, cilantro (sometimes called Chinese parsley), and a local variety of basil
(九層塔 jiǔcéngtǎ, literally "nine storey pagoda"). The resulting dishes thus combine and form interesting tastes which make Taiwanese cuisine simple in format yet complex in experience.
An important part of Taiwanese cuisine are xiaochi
, substantial snacks along the lines of Spanish
tapas
or Levant
ine meze
.
Coffin Bread (棺材板 guāncáibǎn) is similar to French Toast
or bread bowl soups, but filled with savory fillings, such as black pepper beef or curried
chicken. Thick cut bread is dipped in egg, deep fried, cut along three sides, opened and filled, and eaten.
Vegetarian restaurants are commonplace with a wide variety of dishes, mainly due to the influence of Buddhism
.
There is a type of outdoor barbecue
called khòng-iô (焢窯, hōngyáo). To barbecue in this manner, one first builds a hollow pyramid up with dirt clods. Next, charcoal or wood is burnt inside until the temperature inside the pyramid is very high (the dirt clods should be glowing red). The ingredients to be cooked, such as taro
, yam
, or chicken
, are placed in cans, and the cans are placed inside the pyramid. Finally, the pyramid is toppled over the food until cooked.
Many non-dessert dishes are usually considered snacks, not entrees; that is, they have a similar status to Cantonese
dim sum
or Spanish
tapas
. Such dishes are usually only slightly salted, with lots of vegetables along with the main meat or seafood item.
There is the Moon Cake which has a thick filling usually made from lotus
seed paste or sweetened red bean paste and surrounded by a relatively thin (2–3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. It is traditionally eaten during the festival is for Lunar worship and Moon watching. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival
is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.
There are other cakes that can mix salty ingredients with sweet ones to create a balance while enjoying these delicacies with tea
. The crust could be shiny from applying a layer of egg yolk before putting in the oven, or not in that case it is often whiter and the crust has more layers.
Taiwan's best-known snacks are present in the night market
s, where street vendors sell a variety of different foods, from finger foods, drinks, sweets, to sit-down dishes. In these markets, one can also find fried and steamed meat-filled buns, oyster-filled omelets
, refreshing fruit ices, and much more. Aside from snacks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts, night markets also have vendors selling clothes, accessories, and offer all kinds of entertainment and products.
General description:
Stinky to-fu is a popular local food in Taiwan and many other Chinese regions such as Hong Kong and Shanghai. The reason of why it is called as “Stinky to-fu” is because of its strong unpleasant odour. Back in the Qing dynasty, Stinky to-fu was already a dish in the royal family’s meal. Besides, it is also one of the favourite food of the Empress CiXi (慈禧太后). Stinky to-fu can generally be classified into two main kinds, which are soft stinky to-fu(臭豆腐乳) and dried stinky to-fu (臭豆腐乾).
History and origin:
According to the folk stories, stinky to-fu was invented by a person who named Wong Zi Wo (王致和)in the Qing dynasty . However the versions of the exact story are quite varied.
Soft Stinky to-fu:
Because of failing the imperial examination, Wong Zi Wo stayed in Beijing and relied on selling to-fu to make a living. One day, because of the huge quantity of redundant to-fu, he tried to cut the to-fu into small cubes and put them into an earthen jar. After several days, he opened up the jar and found out that the to-fu had turned into greenish and become extremely smelly. He tasted the “stinky greenish to-fu” and it was surprisingly delicious. And so he decided to sell those “stinky greenish to-fu” as a commodity in his shore.
Dried skinty to-fu:
During the KangXi period, Wong Zi Wo was a to-fu seller as well as a pig feeder. One day, he was making dried to-fu with an earthen jar. After he putted all the seasonings into the jar, he was districted by the pigs and forgot to close the lid, and so the white paint on the wall kept falling into the jar. A while ago, after Wong Zi Wo had settled down all the pigs, the dried to-fu had already turned into the dried stinky to-fu.
The Taiwanese culture of eating stinky to-fu:
Deep fried stinky to-fu:
Deep fried stinky to-fu is a common dish in both Taiwan night markets and restaurants. And before the 90s hawkers even wandered around the street and peddled deep-fried stinky to-fu. In Taiwan, people usually eat the deep fried stinky to-fu with the local sweet and sour pickled vegetable in order to relieve the greasiness.
Spicy stinky to-fu:
Spicy stinky to-fu is a new cooking method of stinky to-fu in Taiwan. Because of the prevalence of spicy hot pot, Taiwanese people came up with a new idea of forming a rich-favoured spicy hot pot soup base by using stinky to-fu, duck blood and Chinese sauerkraut as the ingredients. This innovative cooking method of stinky to-fu is really popular in the Taiwanese society nowadays.
Soft Stinky to-fu:
Soft Stinky to-fu commonly used as a condiment for rice, bread, congee or noodle. It can also be used as a seasoning for cooking.
Stinky to-fu shashlik:
Stinky to-fu shashlik is a popular cooking method of stinky to-fu in the Taipei Shenkeng province and many of the Taiwan night markets. After stabbing the bamboo stick through the stinky to-fu, the “yakitori” is then roasted on the charcoal with the roasted meat sauce. And because of the huge amount of seasonings, the unpleasant odour of the stinky to-fu shashlik is comparatively weaker. Therefore Stinky to-fu shashlik is always recommended for the people who firstly try stinky to-fu.
Other cultures of eating stinky to-fu:
Hong Kong:
Unlike the diverseness in Taiwan, the way of cooking stinky to-fu in Hong Kong is usually deep fry. And rather than eating the deep fried stinky to-fu with the pickled vegetable, Hong Kong people usually enjoy the deep fried stinky to-fu with the sweet source and the chili source.
Mainland China:
The ways of eating stinky to-fu in different provinces of Mainland China are actually quite varied.
• Anhwei(安徽)
In Anhwei, the deliciousness of stinky to-fu mainly depends on its spiciness. The spicier it is, the more it suits the local favour.
• Beijing (北京)
Wong Zi Wo Stinky to-fu shop is a China time-honored brand in Beijing which famous for its soft stinky to-fu.
• Changsha(長沙)
The stinky to-fu in the Fire Palace Restaurant(火宫殿) is an “official representative” of the stinky to-fu in Changsha.
Hoklo people
The Hoklo people are Han Chinese people whose traditional Ancestral homes are in southern Fujian of South China...
ethnicity (see Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
), there are also Aboriginal, Hakka
Hakka cuisine
Hakka cuisine is the cooking style of the Hakka people, who are primarily found in southeastern China , but also may be found in many other parts of China, as well as in the Chinese diaspora...
, and local derivatives of Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
s (one famous example of the last is beef noodle soup
Beef noodle soup
Beef noodle soup is a Chinese noodle soup made of stewed beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. It exists in various forms throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia. It was created by the Hui people during the Tang Dynasty of China.In the West, this food may be served in a small portion...
).
Taiwanese cuisine itself is often associated with influences from mid to southern provinces of Mainland China, most notably from the province of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
(Hokkien), but influences from all of Mainland China can easily be found. A notable Japanese influence
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
exists due to the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
. Traditional Chinese food can be found in Taiwan, alongside Fujian and Hakka-style as well as native Taiwanese dishes, includes dishes from Guangdong
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi cuisine
Jiangxi cuisine is derived from the native cooking styles of the Jiangxi province of southern China. Like the cuisines of neighboring provinces, Jiangxi cuisine favors overtly spicy flavors; in many regions of the provinces, chili peppers are directly used as vegetable instead of as a flavoring,...
, Chaoshan, Shanghai
Shanghai cuisine
Shanghai cuisine , also known as Hu cai is a popular style of Chinese cuisine. The city of Shanghai itself does not have a separate and unique cuisine of its own, but modifies those of the surrounding provinces, is Jiangsu and Zhejiang coastal provinces. What can be called Shanghai cuisine is...
, Hunan
Hunan cuisine
Hunan cuisine, sometimes called Xiang cuisine , consists of the cuisines of the Xiang River region, Dongting Lake and western Hunan Province, in China. Hunan cuisine consists of three styles:...
, Sichuan and Beijing
Beijing cuisine
Beijing cuisine is a cooking style in Beijing, China. It is also known as Mandarin cuisine.-Background:Since Beijing has been the Chinese capital city for centuries, its cuisine has been influenced by culinary traditions from all over China, but the cuisine that has exerted the greatest influence...
.
Ingredients and culture
PorkPork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
, seafood, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, and soy are very common ingredients. Beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
is far less common, and some Taiwanese (particularly the elderly generation) still refrain from eating it. This is in part due to the considerations of some Taiwanese Buddhists
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, a traditional reluctance towards slaughtering precious cattle needed for agriculture, and an emotional attachment and feeling of gratefulness and thanks to the animals traditionally used for very hard labour. Curiously, the Taiwanese version of beef noodle soup
Beef noodle soup
Beef noodle soup is a Chinese noodle soup made of stewed beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. It exists in various forms throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia. It was created by the Hui people during the Tang Dynasty of China.In the West, this food may be served in a small portion...
remains one of the most popular dishes in Taiwan, in spite of this traditional aversion.
Taiwan's cuisine has also been influenced by its geographic location. Living on a crowded island, the Taiwanese had to look aside from the farmlands for sources of protein. As a result, seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
figures prominently in their cuisine. This seafood encompasses many different things, from large fish such as tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
and grouper
Grouper
Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes.Not all serranids are called groupers; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name grouper is usually given to fish in one of two large genera: Epinephelus...
, to sardines and even smaller fish such as anchovies. Crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s, squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
, and cuttlefish
Cuttlefish
Cuttlefish are marine animals of the order Sepiida. They belong to the class Cephalopoda . Despite their name, cuttlefish are not fish but molluscs....
are also eaten.
Because of the island's sub-tropical location, Taiwan has an abundant supply of various fruit, such as papayas, starfruit
Carambola
Carambola, also known as starfruit, is the fruit of Averrhoa carambola, a species of tree native to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The fruit is a popular food throughout Southeast Asia, the South Pacific and parts of East Asia...
, melons, and citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
fruit. A wide variety of tropical fruits, imported and native, are also enjoyed in Taiwan. Other agricultural products in general are rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
, poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
, beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
, fish
Fish (food)
Fish is a food consumed by many species, including humans. The word "fish" refers to both the animal and to the food prepared from it. Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history.-Terminology:...
, and other fruits and vegetables. Fresh ingredients in Taiwan are readily available from markets.
In many of their dishes, the Taiwanese have shown their creativity in their selection of spices. Taiwanese cuisine relies on an abundant array of seasonings for flavour: soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
, rice wine
Rice wine
Rice wine is an alcoholic beverage made from rice. Unlike wine, which is made by fermentation of naturally sweet grapes and other fruit, rice "wine" results from the fermentation of rice starch converted to sugars...
, sesame oil
Sesame oil
Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. Besides being used as a cooking oil in South India, it is often used as a flavor enhancer in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and to a lesser extent Southeast Asian cuisine.The oil from the nutrient rich seed is popular in alternative...
, fermented black beans
Douchi
Douchi , also called Chinese fermented black beans , is a flavoring most popular in the cuisine of China, and is used to make black bean sauce....
, pickled daikon
Daikon
Daikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...
, pickled mustard greens
Brassica juncea
Brassica juncea, also known as mustard greens, Indian mustard, Chinese mustard, and leaf mustard, is a species of mustard plant. Subvarieties include southern giant curled mustard, which resembles a headless cabbage such as kale, but with a distinct horseradish-mustard flavor...
, peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s, chili pepper
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
s, cilantro (sometimes called Chinese parsley), and a local variety of basil
Basil
Basil, or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum , of the family Lamiaceae , sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries....
(九層塔 jiǔcéngtǎ, literally "nine storey pagoda"). The resulting dishes thus combine and form interesting tastes which make Taiwanese cuisine simple in format yet complex in experience.
An important part of Taiwanese cuisine are xiaochi
Xiaochi
Xiaochi are an important category of Chinese food, substantial snacks along the lines of Spanish tapas or Levantine meze.Xiaochi are not typically cooked in homes nor are they featured prominently on the menus of more formal reaturants...
, substantial snacks along the lines of Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
tapas
Tapas
Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold or warm ....
or Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ine meze
Meze
Meze or mezze is a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as dinner or lunch, with or without drinks. In Levantine cuisines and in the Caucasus region, meze is served at the beginning of all large-scale meals....
.
Regional specialities
- ChiayiChiayi-Administration:-City attractions:*Chiayi Park*Sun Shooting Tower *Lantan *Historic Archives Building of Chiayi City*University of Chiayi*Chiayi Museum...
: Turkey rice bowls (火雞肉飯 hǔojī ròu fàn) are bowls of rice with shredded turkey layered on top, often accompanied by pickled daikonDaikonDaikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...
radish. The rice is drizzled with a kind of gravyGravyGravy is a sauce made often from the juices that run naturally from meat or vegetables during cooking. In North America the term can refer to a wider variety of sauces and gravy is often thicker than in Britain...
made from the turkey drippings and soy sauce. - HsinchuHsinchuHsinchu City is a city in northern Taiwan. Hsinchu is popularly nicknamed "The Windy City" for its windy climate.Hsinchu City is administered as a special municipality within Taiwan . The city is bordered by Hsinchu County to the north and east, Miaoli County to the south, and the Taiwan Strait...
: pork ballPork ballA pork ball is a Chinese meatball made from finely minced pork, starch, and sometimes cuttlefish to impart a "bouncy" texture and added flavour....
s, 貢丸 （gòngwán）, which are often eaten in soup， 湯 (tang). Rice vermicelliRice vermicelliRice vermicelli are thin noodles made from rice and are a form of rice noodles. They are sometimes referred to as rice noodles or rice sticks, but they should not be confused with cellophane noodles, which is another type of vermicelli....
, 米粉 (mǐfěn), are another Hsinchu specialty. They are often eaten 'dry', 乾 (gān, not in a soup) with mushroom and ground pork. - Dasi, TaoyuanDasi, TaoyuanDasi , is an urban township in eastern Taoyuan County of Taiwan.-History:During the early years of Han Chinese settlement in Taipei Basin, the Atayal people that originally inhabited the basin gradually moved upstream along Dahan River , which they called Takoham in their native language...
dried tofuTofuis a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
(大溪豆乾 Dàxī dòugān) - TaichungTaichung-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
: SuncakeSuncakeA suncake is a popular Taiwanese dessert originally from the city of Taichung in Taiwan. The typical fillings consist of maltose , and they are usually sold in special gift boxes as souvenirs for visitors. Some famous suncake pastry shops always have long lines of people waiting to buy boxed...
is the most noted pastries of Taichung. It is baked layered puff pastry with a sweet center often made with honeyHoneyHoney is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
or molassesMolassesMolasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
. Also, NagasakiNagasakiis the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
-style CastellaCastellais a popular Japanese sponge cake made of sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup, very common at festivals and as a street food.Now a specialty of Nagasaki, the cake was brought by way of Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. The name is derived from Portuguese Pão de Castela, meaning "bread from...
and nougats (牛軋糖 niúgátáng, nougat). - Tainan City dan zai noodles (台南擔仔麵 Tâi-lâm tàⁿ-á-mī, Táinán dànzǎimiàn), shrimp and meat dumplings (蝦仁肉丸 hê-jîn bah-ôan, xiārén ròuwán), and shrimp crackers/biscuits are among the most notable local dishes. Another popular dish originating in Tainan is "oily rice" (台南油飯 Tâi-lâm iû-pn̄g), a rice dish containing savoury oils and shredded pork meat, mushroomMushroomA mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s, and dried shrimp.
Coffin Bread (棺材板 guāncáibǎn) is similar to French Toast
French toast
French toast or Eggy Bread, is a food made with bread and eggs. It is a Christmas time dessert in Portugal and Brazil.Where French toast is served as a sweet dish, milk, sugar, or cinnamon are also commonly added before frying, and it may be then topped with sugar, butter, fruit, syrup, or other...
or bread bowl soups, but filled with savory fillings, such as black pepper beef or curried
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
chicken. Thick cut bread is dipped in egg, deep fried, cut along three sides, opened and filled, and eaten.
- Changhua: Ba-wanBa-wanBa-wan is a Taiwanese snack food, consisting of a 6-8 cm diameter disk-shaped translucent dough filled with a savory stuffing and served with a sweet and savory sauce. The stuffing varies widely according to different regions in Taiwan, but usually consists of a mixture of pork, bamboo shoots, and...
, literally meaning 'meat circle'. They are a kind of large dumpling made from a gelatinous dough and stuffed with pork and vegetables, most commonly mushrooms and bambooBambooBamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
shoots. - NantouNantou CountyNantou County is the second largest county of Taiwan. It is also the only landlocked county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya Taiwanese aboriginal word Ramtau. Nantou County is officially administered as a county of Taiwan....
: Yimian (yīmiàn), which is tasty, soft noodles in soup, and Rou-yuan (肉圓, ròuyuán), which is similar to Ba-wan. Rou-yuan's exterior is made of tapioca starch and is filled with mushrooms, thin shredded bamboo, and a meatball. It is eaten with a reddish sweet and sour sauce - Tamsui: A-geiA-geiA-gei are a speciality food originating from Tamsui District of New Taipei City and consists of a piece of fried tofu, stuffed with cooked Cellophane noodles, and sealed with surimi, which is widely sold by vendors in the district. The name a-gei was derived from aburaage , a fried and stewed...
(阿給, āgěi), which are deep fried tofu that have been stuffed with crystal noodles and sealed with fish paste and drizzled with spicy sauce on the outside. Tamsui fish ball (魚丸, yúwán), because Tamsui is near the ocean, therefore, it is a good place to try their fish balls, which are balls of fish paste stuffed with meat and garlicGarlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
cooked in light broth. Iron eggIron eggIron eggs are a speciality egg-based dish from Taiwan. They are considered a delicacy and originated in the Tamsui District of New Taipei City....
s (鐵蛋, tiědàn), are eggs that have been repeatedly stewed in a mix of spices and air-dried. The resulting eggs are dark brown, chewy and full of flavor compared to normal boiled eggs.
Typical dishes
- jiû-hî keⁿ - thickened soup with cuttlefishCuttlefishCuttlefish are marine animals of the order Sepiida. They belong to the class Cephalopoda . Despite their name, cuttlefish are not fish but molluscs....
covered in fish pasteSurimiSurimi is a Japanese loan word referring to a fish-based food product that has been pulverized to a thick paste and has the property of a dense and rubbery food item when cooked...
. - ô-á-chian (蚵仔煎, kèzǎijiān) - Oyster omelet made with eggs, oysterOysterThe word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s, tapioca starch, and Garland chrysanthemumGarland chrysanthemumGarland chrysanthemum, botanically Chrysanthemum coronarium or Leucanthemum coronarium, also known as chrysanthemum greens or edible chrysanthemum, is native to the Mediterranean and East Asia...
leaves. It has a soft, sticky texture, and is eaten with a sweet and mildly spicy sauce, topped with cilantro. This dish is very common in night markets as it is the most popular snack in Taiwan. - ô-á mī-sòaⁿ (蚵仔麵線, kèzǎi miànxiàn), or oyster vermicelliOyster vermicelliOyster vermicelli is the English name for a kind of noodle soup that is popular in Taiwan and Xiamen. Its main ingredients are oysters and misua , made to be tasty and full of aroma. One of the famous places serving this is in Dihua Street, Dadaocheng, Taipei...
, a thickened soup containing small oysters and Chinese vermicelli. - o· bí-ko (烏米糕 wūmǐgāo, me shai [米血] mǐxuè, hēimǐgāo [黑米糕]) - a dish made from pork blood and rice. It is usually cut into a rectangular piece and served on a stick, dipped in soy sauce, with the option of adding hot sauce, then topped with powdered peanut and cilantro.
- ló·-bah-pn̄g (魯肉飯, lǔròu fàn) - minced, cubed, or ground fatty pork, stewed in soy sauce and spices, then served on rice.
- tōa-tn̂g pau sió-tn̂g (大腸包小腸, dàcháng bāo xiǎocháng) – small sausage wrapped in big sausage. A Taiwanese snack, common in night market. A grilled Taiwanese sweet pork sausage wrapped in a grilled salty sticky rice sausage. Usually wrapped with garlic and basil. Customer can also choose the flavor they want, such as black pepper, garlic, chili, butter, and chocolate.
- sān bēi jīSan bei jiSanbeiji "Three-Cup Chicken" is a popular chicken dish in Chinese cuisine. The dish originates from the Jiangxi province of southern China, and is a specialty of Ningdu...
(三杯雞, sānbēijī) - a chicken dish which literally translates as "three cups chicken", named because the sauce is made of a cup of rice wine, a cup of sesame oil, and a cup of soy sauce. Alternatively, the sauce can also be made of a cup each of rice wine, sugar, and soy sauce. - chhài-pó͘-nn̄g (菜脯卵, càifǔluǎn) - Taiwanese Style preserved white radish omelet.
- koe-á bah (瓜仔肉) - Steamed pork patty with Taiwanese Style pickled cucumber.
- (麻辣鍋, málàguō)-Spicy hotpot. It is becoming more and more popular, especially in Taipei. The soup of this hotpot includes lots of Chinese herbs and other special materials. People can cook what they want with this soup. The taste is very spicy, but this kind of hotpot can help you keep warm and feel good in the winter.
- Eel noodles (鱔魚意麵, shànyú yìmiàn)- Rice eelMonopterus albusMonopterus albus is an important air-breathing commercial species of fish in the Synbranchidae family...
with Yi meinYi meinYi mein is a variety of flat Cantonese egg noodles made from wheat flour. They are known for their golden yellow color and chewy characteristics...
in a starch thickened sweet and sour soup. - A-geiA-geiA-gei are a speciality food originating from Tamsui District of New Taipei City and consists of a piece of fried tofu, stuffed with cooked Cellophane noodles, and sealed with surimi, which is widely sold by vendors in the district. The name a-gei was derived from aburaage , a fried and stewed...
(淡水阿給, dànshuǐ āgěi) - fried tofu stuffed with cooked cellophane noodlesCellophane noodlesCellophane noodles are a type of transparent noodle made from starch , and water.They are generally sold in dried form, boiled to reconstitute, then used in soups, stir fried dishes,...
and covered with surimiSurimiSurimi is a Japanese loan word referring to a fish-based food product that has been pulverized to a thick paste and has the property of a dense and rubbery food item when cooked... - Iron eggIron eggIron eggs are a speciality egg-based dish from Taiwan. They are considered a delicacy and originated in the Tamsui District of New Taipei City....
s (鐵蛋, tiědàn) - Eggs stewed in soy sauceSoy sauceSoy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
until they are flavourful and chewy in texture.
Vegetarian restaurants are commonplace with a wide variety of dishes, mainly due to the influence of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
.
There is a type of outdoor barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
called khòng-iô (焢窯, hōngyáo). To barbecue in this manner, one first builds a hollow pyramid up with dirt clods. Next, charcoal or wood is burnt inside until the temperature inside the pyramid is very high (the dirt clods should be glowing red). The ingredients to be cooked, such as taro
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
, yam
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
, or chicken
Chicken (food)
Chicken is the most common type of poultry in the world, and is prepared as food in a wide variety of ways, varying by region and culture.- History :...
, are placed in cans, and the cans are placed inside the pyramid. Finally, the pyramid is toppled over the food until cooked.
Many non-dessert dishes are usually considered snacks, not entrees; that is, they have a similar status to Cantonese
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
dim sum
Dim sum
Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
or Spanish
Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes, which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots...
tapas
Tapas
Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold or warm ....
. Such dishes are usually only slightly salted, with lots of vegetables along with the main meat or seafood item.
Desserts
- Bubble TeaBubble teaBubble tea is the name for pearl milk tea and other similar tea and juice beverages that originated in tea shops in Taichung, Taiwan during the 1980s. Drink recipes may vary, but most bubble teas contain a tea base mixed with fruit and/or milk...
, aka boba milk tea; also known as pearl milk tea (珍珠奶茶, zhēnzhū nǎichá) - chewy tapiocaTapiocaTapioca is a starch extracted Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and most of the West Indies, is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, manioc, aipim,...
balls added to milk teaMilk teaMilk tea may refer to* Tea with the addition of a small amount of milk*Bubble tea, one of famous categories of bubble teas is "pearl milk tea"...
. - Grass JellyGrass jellyGrass jelly, or Leaf jelly, is a jelly-like dessert found in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. It is sold in cans or packets in Asian supermarkets.-Preparation:...
(仙草, xiāncǎo, sian-chháu) - (MesonaMesonaMesona is a genus in the mint family .Exemplar species in this genus are Mesona procumbens Hemsley and Mesona chinensis, generically called xiancao in Mandarin Chinese, sian-chháu in Taiwanese, and leung fan cao in Cantonese, sương sáo in Vietnamese.It is said to be a diuretic, used in Taiwan as...
procumbens) Served hot or cold. - ò-giô-peng (àiyùbīng [愛玉冰]) - a gelatinous dessert, aiyu jellyAiyu jellyAiyu jelly , known as ice jelly in Singapore , is a jelly made from the gel from the seeds of a variety of fig found in Taiwan and East Asian countries of the same climates and latitudes...
, made from the seeds of a fig-like fruit, FicusFicusFicus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
pumila var. awkeotsang. Served on ice. - ō͘-á-peng (芋仔冰 yùzǎibīng, yùbīng [芋冰]) - an ice cream made of taroTaroTaro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
root paste. - Zukak kwayCaozai GuoCaozai guo , or shuchu guo is a type of kuih with a sweet dough made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and a ground cooked paste of Gnaphalium affine or Mugwort . The herbs give the dough and the finished kuih a unique flavor and brownish green color...
(鼠麹粿chhú-khak-ké shǔqūguǒ, 草仔粿, chháu-á-ké cǎozǎiguǒ) - Cakes made with a dough from glutinous rice flour and combine with a ground cooked paste of Gnaphalium affineGnaphalium affineGnaphalium affine D. Don, also known as Jersey Cudweed, is a species of plants belonging to the genus Gnaphalium. The species grows extensively in East Asia including temperate regions of China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan as well as some high altitude tropical regions of India, Nepal, and Thailand...
or Mugwort to give it a unique flavor and green color. The dough is commonly filled with ground meat or sweet bean pastes.
- Traditional Cakes - They are not always of the same composition depending on the flavor.
There is the Moon Cake which has a thick filling usually made from lotus
Lotus
- Botany :*Lotus , various botanical taxa*Lotus *Lotus Flower, Nelumbo nucifera- Motor cars :*Lotus Cars, a British motor vehicle manufacturer**Team Lotus, a British Formula One racing team that competed between 1954 and 1994...
seed paste or sweetened red bean paste and surrounded by a relatively thin (2–3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. It is traditionally eaten during the festival is for Lunar worship and Moon watching. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival , also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival or Zhongqiu Festival, is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou...
is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.
There are other cakes that can mix salty ingredients with sweet ones to create a balance while enjoying these delicacies with tea
Taiwanese tea
Taiwan is famous for its tea which are of three main types: oolong tea, black tea and green tea. The earliest record of tea trees found in Taiwan can be traced back to 1717 in Shi Sha Lien, present-day Yuchih and Puli, Nantou County...
. The crust could be shiny from applying a layer of egg yolk before putting in the oven, or not in that case it is often whiter and the crust has more layers.
Night market dishes
Night markets in Taiwan
Night markets in Taiwan are street markets in Taiwan that operate in urban or suburban areas. They are similar to those in areas inhabited by ethnic Chinese, such as Southeast Asia...
s, where street vendors sell a variety of different foods, from finger foods, drinks, sweets, to sit-down dishes. In these markets, one can also find fried and steamed meat-filled buns, oyster-filled omelets
Oyster omelette
Oyster omelette is a Chinese dish of Teochew/Fujian origin, made famous in Taiwan...
, refreshing fruit ices, and much more. Aside from snacks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts, night markets also have vendors selling clothes, accessories, and offer all kinds of entertainment and products.
- Small cakes - batter is poured into hot-metallic molds and gets quickly cooked into small cakes of various shapes. Countless variations exist. Sometimes the cakes have fillings ranging from cream, red bean paste, to peanut butter.
- Various drinks are also often sold, ranging from bubble tea stands to various juice and tea stands.
- Stinky tofuStinky tofuStinky tofu or chòu dòufu is a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is a popular snack in East and Southeast Asia, particularly mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and in East Asian enclaves elsewhere where it is usually found homemade, at night markets or roadside stands, or as a...
or Fermented Tofu (Chinese:Chinese languageThe Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
臭豆腐
General description:
Stinky to-fu is a popular local food in Taiwan and many other Chinese regions such as Hong Kong and Shanghai. The reason of why it is called as “Stinky to-fu” is because of its strong unpleasant odour. Back in the Qing dynasty, Stinky to-fu was already a dish in the royal family’s meal. Besides, it is also one of the favourite food of the Empress CiXi (慈禧太后). Stinky to-fu can generally be classified into two main kinds, which are soft stinky to-fu(臭豆腐乳) and dried stinky to-fu (臭豆腐乾).
History and origin:
According to the folk stories, stinky to-fu was invented by a person who named Wong Zi Wo (王致和)in the Qing dynasty . However the versions of the exact story are quite varied.
Soft Stinky to-fu:
Because of failing the imperial examination, Wong Zi Wo stayed in Beijing and relied on selling to-fu to make a living. One day, because of the huge quantity of redundant to-fu, he tried to cut the to-fu into small cubes and put them into an earthen jar. After several days, he opened up the jar and found out that the to-fu had turned into greenish and become extremely smelly. He tasted the “stinky greenish to-fu” and it was surprisingly delicious. And so he decided to sell those “stinky greenish to-fu” as a commodity in his shore.
Dried skinty to-fu:
During the KangXi period, Wong Zi Wo was a to-fu seller as well as a pig feeder. One day, he was making dried to-fu with an earthen jar. After he putted all the seasonings into the jar, he was districted by the pigs and forgot to close the lid, and so the white paint on the wall kept falling into the jar. A while ago, after Wong Zi Wo had settled down all the pigs, the dried to-fu had already turned into the dried stinky to-fu.
The Taiwanese culture of eating stinky to-fu:
Deep fried stinky to-fu:
Deep fried stinky to-fu is a common dish in both Taiwan night markets and restaurants. And before the 90s hawkers even wandered around the street and peddled deep-fried stinky to-fu. In Taiwan, people usually eat the deep fried stinky to-fu with the local sweet and sour pickled vegetable in order to relieve the greasiness.
Spicy stinky to-fu:
Spicy stinky to-fu is a new cooking method of stinky to-fu in Taiwan. Because of the prevalence of spicy hot pot, Taiwanese people came up with a new idea of forming a rich-favoured spicy hot pot soup base by using stinky to-fu, duck blood and Chinese sauerkraut as the ingredients. This innovative cooking method of stinky to-fu is really popular in the Taiwanese society nowadays.
Soft Stinky to-fu:
Soft Stinky to-fu commonly used as a condiment for rice, bread, congee or noodle. It can also be used as a seasoning for cooking.
Stinky to-fu shashlik:
Stinky to-fu shashlik is a popular cooking method of stinky to-fu in the Taipei Shenkeng province and many of the Taiwan night markets. After stabbing the bamboo stick through the stinky to-fu, the “yakitori” is then roasted on the charcoal with the roasted meat sauce. And because of the huge amount of seasonings, the unpleasant odour of the stinky to-fu shashlik is comparatively weaker. Therefore Stinky to-fu shashlik is always recommended for the people who firstly try stinky to-fu.
Other cultures of eating stinky to-fu:
Hong Kong:
Unlike the diverseness in Taiwan, the way of cooking stinky to-fu in Hong Kong is usually deep fry. And rather than eating the deep fried stinky to-fu with the pickled vegetable, Hong Kong people usually enjoy the deep fried stinky to-fu with the sweet source and the chili source.
Mainland China:
The ways of eating stinky to-fu in different provinces of Mainland China are actually quite varied.
• Anhwei(安徽)
In Anhwei, the deliciousness of stinky to-fu mainly depends on its spiciness. The spicier it is, the more it suits the local favour.
• Beijing (北京)
Wong Zi Wo Stinky to-fu shop is a China time-honored brand in Beijing which famous for its soft stinky to-fu.
• Changsha(長沙)
The stinky to-fu in the Fire Palace Restaurant(火宫殿) is an “official representative” of the stinky to-fu in Changsha.