Cuisine Focus- Taiwanese

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An Adaptive Approach

Rustic and simple, these are the best exemplifying words for Taiwanese cuisine. It makes use of the most abundant and natural ingredients and relies on two specific influences: geography and foreign influences.

Taiwan is one place with limited natural resources that is why its people have developed the tendency to adapt within their environment for sustenance and nourishment. There’s an obvious need for farm land since nature mostly offers mountainous terrains. In effect, people depend on sea for food that is why the role of fish, crustaceans and other relative produce play a major part in the people’s diet.

Taiwanese cuisine originated in the Fukien (Fujian) province of Southern China. Since most of its people hailed from said area, it became comprehensible why Taiwan merely adopted such reference as basis for their cuisine. This cuisine can also be associated with other influences, one of which is Japanese as brought about the Japanese occupation. Traditional Chinese foods are also present in Taiwan which include dishes from Sichuan, Guangdong, and Beijing to name a few.

The Taiwanese have discovered ‘miso’ (fermented soybean paste used as flavoring) through the Japanese. A classic dish which makes use of it is the miso-grilled fish, made with slightly-sweetened sauce and is served best with rice.

The Taiwanese cuisine is said to be less spicy as compared to Szechuan but is spicier than foods from Northern China. Simple cooking methods are widely used, setting it apart from the more elaborate preparations adopted by other cuisines like that of the Cantonese or Shanghai’s. Most common among dishes would be the Congee, which comes in variety and is eaten along a delectable array of side dishes or rice.

Traditional dishes include omelets with pickled radishes, pickled vegetables, soybean curd dishes and stir-fried fish with peanuts.

Regional specialties include:

Chiavi:

Turkey rice bowls- bowls of rice with strips of turkey on top, often served with pickled radish.

Hsinchu:

Pork balls and Rice Vermicelli are some of its specialties. The pork balls are eaten in soup while the vermicelli is often eaten dry along with ground pork and mushroom

Changhua:

In this region comes a popular dish called Ba-wan, or literally ‘meat circle.’ These are dumplings made from gelatinous dough and stuffed with pork and vegetables like mushrooms and bamboo shoots.

Nantou:

Famous dishes include Yimian, soft noodles in soup and Rou-yuan, dish very similar to Ba-wan and likewise consist of dried mushrooms, meat and bamboo shoots.

Ingredients utilized in Taiwanese cuisine:

Meat: Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Beef

*Seafood is the prime choice with chicken as second. The others are less consumed and are not as popular.

Seafood: Tuna, Grouper, Sardines, Anchovies, Crustaceans, Squid, Cuttlefish

Fruits: Papaya, Melon, Citrus

Vegetables: Sweet potatoes, Taro roots, Radishes, Cucumber, Mushroom, Bamboo shoots

Seasonings: Soy sauce, Rice wine, Sesame oil, pickled radishes, Peanuts, Fermented Black beans, Chili Peppers, Basil (local variety called ‘nine story tower’), Cilantro (Chinese parsley)

Other ingredients used are soybean curd, peanuts, corn

The people’s reverence for sea food is naturally brought by the abundance of seas in Taiwan. Their preference for fruits is typically due to the favorable and sub-tropical conditions of the island. In addition, the frequent use for seasonings is somewhat brought by influences coming from other areas thus making Taiwanese dishes flavorful and reasonably spiced.

Authentic Taiwanese Recipe

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Image and Recipe Credit: Epicurious

Ingredients

* 5 cups water

* 1 cup soy sauce

* 1 cup Chinese rice wine or medium-dry Sherry

* 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

* 1 (1-inch) cube peeled fresh ginger, smashed

* 1 bunch scallions, white parts smashed with flat side of a large knife and green parts chopped

* 3 garlic cloves, smashed

* 10 fresh cilantro stems plus 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro sprigs

* 2 (2-inch-long) pieces Asian dried tangerine peel*

* 4 whole star anise

* 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

* 2 1/2 pounds meaty beef short ribs

* 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 ounces)

* 10 ounces dried Chinese wheat noodles* or linguine

* 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts

* 4 tablespoons Chinese pickled mustard greens**

* 1 (4-inch-long) fresh red chile (optional), thinly sliced
* Special equipment: cheesecloth

Preparation

Bring water, soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, ginger, white parts of scallion, garlic, cilantro stems, tangerine peel, star anise, and red pepper flakes to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart pot, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add short ribs and gently simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until meat is very tender but not falling apart, 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours. Let meat stand in cooking liquid, uncovered, 1 hour.

Transfer meat to a cutting board with tongs and discard bones and membranes, then cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. 3Pour beef broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Skim fat from cooking liquid and transfer liquid to a 3-quart saucepan. Add chicken broth and meat and reheat soup over moderately low heat.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in a 6- to 8-quart pot of (unsalted) boiling water until tender, about 7 minutes (14 to 15 minutes for linguine). Drain noodles well in a colander and divide among 4 large soup bowls.

Ladle broth over noodles and top with meat, scallion greens, bean sprouts, pickled mustard greens, cilantro sprigs, and red chile (if using).

*Available at some Asian markets.

**Available at some Asian markets and Uwajimaya (800-889-1928).

Note: For measurement conversions visit this page.

Taiwanese Chicken Congee