The Complete Guide to Taiwanese

The international culinary scene is finally beginning to take notice of the fine Taiwanese dishes, and fans of what is arguably the most underrated oriental cuisine will be pleased to hear it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves. With influences from China, Japan and the West, Taiwanese is a unique blend of spices and flavours, creating a sensation for the taste buds that you can enjoy both at home or at a Taiwanese restaurant. So whether the extent of your knowledge of Taiwanese starts and ends with the Bao bun, or you’re an experienced eater of the cuisine, we’ve created a guide for everything you may want to know about Taiwanese food.

What is Taiwanese Food?

The cuisine in Taiwan is similar to that of neighbouring country China, but there is also a strong Japanese influence, which dates back to between 1895 and 1945 when Japan ruled the country. Given its geographic location as an island with limited space for crops and cattle, fish and seafood play a major part in menus up and down the country, while pork or chicken is most commonly featured in meat dishes. There is a strong street food scene in Taiwan, and that traditional way of eating is responsible for many of its iconic dishes.

Etiquette

Before you experiment with the delicious dishes on offer, it’s important you understand Taiwanese etiquette whilst at the dinner table – so whether you’re at home or at a restaurant you can follow the best practice for a truly authentic experience. Here are some of the things you should adhere to, and perhaps even introduce in your own home:

• The youngest capable member of the family must serve the tea.
• Farmer’s in Taiwan value cows like most people value dogs, so don’t offer any Taiwanese house guests beef.
• When eating with a group that does not consist of close friends and family, use communal chopsticks to serve your food from the table. That said, never serve rice with chopsticks as that is believed to bring bad luck.
• It is thought to be disrespectful to the chef if you leave any leftovers.
• He/she who orders the food or is the oldest will always be served first.

Breakfast

Mornings in Taiwan start with simple yet delicious foods to prepare you for the day ahead. You Tiao is a stick of deep-fried dough, often referred to as the ‘Chinese Churro’ although it’s not traditionally sweet and Dan Bing is a Chinese pancake with green onions and egg. There are some more experimental breakfast options for those feeling brave, including Rou Sonh, which is essentially roasted shredded pork floss, which they like to pair with porridge and other breakfast staples. Taiwanese breakfasts are usually washed down with Dou Jiang, a popular sweet soybean milk that can be drunk hot or iced in accordance to the weather.

Lunch

The Bien Dang is a glorified lunch box, that is often referred to as a ‘Bento Box’ by both tourists and locals alike. For a relatively cheap cost, you get a choice of meat, rice and several vegetable dishes. This not so packed lunch is available wherever you go in Taiwan and is perhaps a cost-effective way of ensuring you get a hot meal at work wherever you live!

Popular Taiwanese Dinner Dishes

When opting for a Taiwanese dinner, you won’t be short on options. Check out 5 dishes below for a taste of what’s in store.

Beef Noodle Soup

As the name might suggest, this dish consists mainly of noodles, stewed or red braised beef and vegetables such as cabbage and scallions. It can be either spicy or mild and is regarded as a comfort food by people in Taiwan.

Oyster Omelette

This dish will feature at night markets across the country and will be easy to spot by looking for a large cooking plate, piles of eggs and a bowl of fresh oysters. Aside from the core ingredients, chefs often add lettuce and bean sprouts, along with a healthy dollop of a syrupy red sauce; contrary to what the colour suggests, it’s not spicy.

Steamed Pork Bun

Affectionately known as a ‘Taiwanese hamburger’, a gua bao is a steamed bun filled with pork, cabbage, peanut powder and coriander. The meat is available in different combinations of fat and lean, but half-and-half is also a popular variation. Eat carefully, as the buns can sometimes prove crumbly and fall apart in your hands!

Taiwanese Sausage

While visions of bland-looking hot dogs may spring to mind from the name, the Taiwanese sausage could not be further from what you are imagining. Made from pork and served with raw garlic, it’s not one for the faint-hearted – or anyone on a date – but the slightly sweet taste of the sausage makes it incredibly moreish.

Taro Balls

A specialty of the Jiufen area, Taro balls are a dessert consisting of chewy taro, sweet potato and green tea rice balls mixed with red and green beans and a sweet syrup. Perhaps an acquired taste, but definitely worth trying if you are looking to experiment with all kinds of Taiwanese food.

Xiao Ye and Street Food

While most cultures enjoy three meals a day, Taiwanese people love food so much they sneak in a fourth called xiao ye. This can be compared to the western culture of a midnight snack, however, it’s more like a midnight full-blown meal. Snacks such as grilled squid, fried chicken and ‘stinky tofu’ come under the umbrella for xiao ye, much to the delight of those who like to go to bed with a full stomach!

Café Culture

More recently, Taiwanese cafes have started to play a key part of their food culture, and there’s nothing the people of Taiwan love more than a creatively-themed café. In fact, the first ever cat café was opened in Taipei, and allows cats to roam free around the café, often accompanying you for your drink or snack.

We hope this guide has given you slightly more of an insight into Taiwanese food culture and the various traditions that can be followed both at home or at a Taiwanese restaurant. If you’d like to have a go at making Taiwanese food in the UK , keep an eye out for the best recipes on our blog and browse our extensive range of oriental ingredients to ensure you have everything that you require!