I am what many people in Taiwan might call a 吃货 (chi huo), a Chinese term equivalent to the English word ‘foodie”, since food is one of my greatest joys in life. Therefore, I am in heaven staying here in Tainan, a place filled to the brim with food culture, with not only many Chinese dishes, but also Japanese dishes as a result of prior Japanese colonization. I have only been here for around three weeks, but I have already tried so many of the delicious foods Taiwan has to offer, falling in love in the process. Here are some of my favorites:
蔥油餅 (cong you bing): Scallion Pancake
This scallion pancake can be found just about anywhere here in Tainan, and is a very common street food. This flatbread contains green onions and can be served with cheese, egg, chili sauce, meat, veggies, corn, and more. This is one of my go tos for a quick and delicious breakfast or snack.
2. 火鍋 (huo guo): Hotpot
Hot pot is a popular cooking method in both China and Taiwan. At a hot pot restaurant, a pot of boiling water is brought to your table with a bowl of ingredients of your choice, and you get to cook the food yourself! This is a very fun meal, not only delicious, but also an engaging activity as well!
3.魚 (yu): Fish
Although fish isn’t unique to Taiwan, it is still different from how I traditionally eat fish, so I just had to include this in my list! It is not uncommon when you order fish at a restaurant for them to bring you an entire fish, head, tail and all. Despite its looks, it is still extremely delicious! If you’re feeling especially daring, you can try fish eyes, which really isn’t all that bad, it tastes and feels just like the rest of the fish, just with a small, rock hard ball in the center.
4. 蛋塔 (dan ta): Egg Custard Tart
This popular pastry and street food is one of my favorite desserts that can be found in Taiwan! Although a cake made from an egg custard may sound strange, this is a delicious treat that is worth the try!
5. 飯糰 (fan tuan): Japanese Rice-Ball/Onigiri
The Japanese Rice Ball is a great example of Japanese influence on Taiwan’s food culture. This rice ball is wrapped in seaweed and can be filled with an assortment of different fillings. My favorite is fish, as it goes well with the seaweed. This small snack is cheap but delicious, easily found at any of Taiwan’s many 7-11s.
6. 芒果冰 (mang guo bing): Mango Shaved Ice
It is currently summer, which means it is mango season here in Taiwan! This time of the year one can find many seasonal specials featuring this sweet fruit, and this mango shaved ice has been my favorites so far! Served with sliced mango, a scoop of mango ice cream, yogurt, and mango syrup, this dessert is a great way to beat the summer heat! Besides this dessert, I would also recommend trying any number of other mango drinks and dishes you may find.
7. 稻荷壽司 (dao he shou si): Inari
Another dish borrowed from Japan, Inari is a pouch of fried tofu stuffed with rice. Like the rice ball mentioned earlier, this is also offered 7-11 at a low price.
8.春卷 (chun juan): Spring Roll
The famous spring roll is a thin sheet of dough that is stuffed and rolled, with the option of frying or leaving as be. Fried or not, this dish is absolutely scrumptious! It can be filled with any number of ingredients, but when I had the amazing chance to make one myself, it was filled with bean sprouts, carrots, cabbage, pork, tofu, eggs, and peanut powder!
9.皮蛋豆腐 (pi dan do fu): Century Egg with Tofu
The egg featured in this dish is prepared by preserving duck, chicken, or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to months. What results is a black egg with a distinct flavor that pairs well with mild tofu.
10. Dumplings
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Dumplings are another very common and popular dish that comes in many varieties. These can come with any combination of vegetables and meat fillings, and can be cooked with many different methods as well, such as boiled and fried as shown above.
11.牛肉麵 (niu rou mian): Beef Noodles
Beef noodles are a very famous Taiwanese dish, and I can understand why! These noodles can come with any combination of ingredients; the only consistency is that it is always made with beef, beef broth, and noodles. The bowl of beef noodles pictured above was amazing! The broth was extremely flavorful and delicious, and the meat practically melted in my mouth!
12. 鐵板豆腐 (tie ban dou fu): Iron Plate Cooked Tofu
Iron plate tofu is a dish I tried very recently, and it is easily one of the most delicious dishes I have tasted so far here in Taiwan! Tofu is served in an iron dish with a sweet sauce and veggies, such as green onion, onion, and garlic.
These are only a few of the amazing foods I have tried so far during my stay here in Taiwan, which is a testament to the quantity and quality of Taiwanese cuisine. I have tried so much already, but I hope to try so much more during the duration of my studies in Tainan! I really am a foodie, but who can blame me when there are so many wonderful dishes for the taking? Or should I say, for the tasting?
Program: Taiwan Intensive Summer Language Program
Term: Summer 2018