A taste of Taiwan

Taiwanese cuisine reflects the country’s melting pot culture, showing ethnic, geographic, economic and cultural influences in every meal. From stinky tofu to steamed chicken, the island is rich in culinary delights that are sure to satisfy, surprise and surpass your expectations.

If you live on the wild side then visiting Taiwan is a great opportunity to try some food that you probably would not normally consider eating. Take for example asparagus juice, duck tongue, or chicken feet, the perfect snack substitute for popcorn. You can even get ‘blood on a stick’, with a choice of both duck and pig blood rolled in hot sauce, peanuts and coriander.

Popular snacks include steamed dumplings and dim sum, or beef noodles with stewed or soy-simmered beef in a hotpot, perfect for a light meal. The Taiwanese have also mastered the art of pastries, with sweet and savoury options for any time of the day. Try sweet stuffed dumplings such as mua-tsi, millet cake, glutinous rice cake, salty pie or yokan jelly. And to drink why not go for a honey bean ice or a sugarcane juice or the world-popular ‘pearl milk tea’.

The most common ingredients in Taiwanese cuisine are pork, seafood, rice and soy. Beef is not as common and many Taiwanese Buddhists refuse to eat it. Being an island, seafood is in abundance and provides a rich source of protein on the island. The Taiwanese cook fish as large as tuna or grouper to sardines and anchovies.

Changhua County cuisine from west-central Taiwan has strong rural flavours, reflecting the reliance on agriculture. Pork being the main meat eaten in the region, you will have no trouble finding delicious pork meals including dumplings, rice with stewed pork, or pork meatballs made using bamboo shoots and mushroom in a sweet potato starch dough.

On the other hand, head to Taoyuan County and it is hard to miss the influence of foreign workers in the local cuisines. Han-Chinese inhabitants of the region descended from the Zhangzhao area of mainland China’s Fujian Province live alongside the indigenous Attaya and Hakkal people as well as immigrants from Yunnan Province and Matsu Island. Southeast Asian restaurants are highlights here, with a main feature being the hot and spicy beef noodles.

Head to Pingtung County’s west coast and seafood is the region’s highlight, and rightly so. The ‘three culinary treasures’ of Donggang fishing town are sure to have you hooked and wanting to stay longer than your plane ticket allows. Whether you indulge in some bluefin tuna served fresh Japanese-style as sashimi or sushi, sakura shrimp shallow-fried and served over rice, or escolar roe served cold and thinly sliced.

On a subtropical island it is hardly surprising that there is an abundance of fresh, tropical fruit in Taiwan. Papayas, star fruit, melons and citrus fruit are everywhere, and are available fresh from markets. The market is a great place to buy fresh and cheap food when you are visiting Taiwan, but even if you’re not interested in buying any produce it is always worth a walk around to feel the vibrant life of the towns and take in the sights and smells of fresh food and ingredients.

Taiwanese Stinky Tofu Recipe

Ingredients

235g stinky or regular tofu

1 tbsp Canola oil

1 tbsp hot sauce

1 tbsp barbecue sauce

Method

1. Heat the oil and fry 1 inch chunks of tofu until they are golden brown

2. Remove from the pan and blot to remove the oil

3. Season with hot sauce and barbecue sauce as desired