Several Taiwanese snacks bought from food stalls at the Shilin Night Market, Taipei. The item on the bottom left is a spring roll that became too soggy.

The Cuisines of Taiwan have several variations. In addition to the following representative dishes from the Hoklo ethnicity, it also encompasses aboriginal, Hakka, and local derivatives of Chinese cuisines (one famous example of the last is beef noodle soup). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1021, 188 KB)Assortment of Taiwanese snacks bought from several street stalls in Taipei. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1021, 188 KB)Assortment of Taiwanese snacks bought from several street stalls in Taipei. ... Shilin Night Market is a night market in Shilin District, Taipei City. ... Nickname: the City of Azaleas (杜鵑花之城) Coordinates: Country Republic of China Region Northern Taiwan Capital Xinyi Dist (信義區) Mayor Hau Lung-bin Area    - City 271. ... Hoklo (pronounced Holo; Chinese ; Mandarin pronunciation--pinyin: Fulao) can refer to an ethnic-cultural group originating in Fujian province, China. ... A Rukai village Chief visiting the Department of Anthropology in Tokyo Imperial University during the Japanese rule. ... Hakka people are migratory tribes of ethnic Han people originated from central China. ... Chinese cuisine is widely seen as representing one of the richest and most diverse culinary cuisines and heritages in the world. ... Beef noodle soup was created by the Hui people (a Chinese Muslim group) (回族) of the Tang Dynasty era of China, beef noodle soup (Chinese: ; pinyin: niúròu miàn; POJ: gû-bah mÄ«) is composed of beef stew, vegetables and noodles. ...

Taiwanese cuisine itself is often associated with influences from mid to southern provinces of China (Canton, Fujian, etc., due to proximity) along with Japan (due to Taiwan's time under Japanese rule). Traditional Chinese food to be found in Taiwan, alongside classically Taiwanese and Hakka-style dishes, includes dishes from Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Hunan, Sichuan and Beijing. Cantonese (Yue) cuisine originates from Guangdong Province in southern China, or more precisely, the area around Canton (Guangzhou). ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Fu-chien; Postal map spelling: Fukien, Foukien; local transliteration Hokkien from Min Nan Hok-kiàn) is one of the provinces on the southeast coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Japanese colonial period, Japanese rule or the Japanese occupation[1], in the context of Taiwans history, refers to the period between 1895 and 1945 during which Taiwan was a Japanese colony. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Fu-chien; Postal map spelling: Fukien, Foukien; local transliteration Hokkien from Min Nan Hok-kiàn) is one of the provinces on the southeast coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Guangdong, often spelt as Kwangtung, is a province on the south coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Jiangxi (Chinese: 江西; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: Húnán) is a province of China, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting (hence the name Hunan, meaning south of the lake). Hunan is sometimes called 湘 (pinyin: Xiāng) for short, after the Xiang River which runs through the...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... Beijing [English Pronunciation] (Chinese: 北京 [Chinese Pronunciation]; Pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ), a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ...

Ingredients and culture

Pork, rice, soy are very common ingredients, as with many Chinese cuisines. Beef is far less common, and some Taiwanese (particularly the elderly generation) still refrain from eating it. This is in part due to a traditional reluctance to slaughtering precious cattle needed for agriculture, and an emotional attachment to such beasts of labour. Two halves of a pig being delivered Pork is the meat taken from pigs. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice is two species of grass (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and in Africa. ... Binomial name Glycine max Soybeans (US) or soya beans (UK) (Glycine max) are a high-protein legume (Family Fabaceae) grown as food for both humans and livestock. ... A cut of beef. ...

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 tiny fish the length of a thumbnail. Crustaceans, squid, and cuttlefish are also eaten. Spaghetti with seafood (Spaghetti allo scoglio). ... Species See text. ... Genera Acanthistius Alphestes Anyperidon Caprodon Cephalopholis Cromileptes Dermatolepis Epinephelus Gonioplectrus Gracila HypoplectrodesLiopropoma Mycteroperca Niphon Paranthias Plectropomus Saloptia Triso Variola For the computer program, see Grouper (Windows application). ... Classes Remipedia Cephalocarida Branchiopoda Ostracoda Maxillopoda Malacostraca The crustaceans (Crustacea) are a large group of arthropods (55,000 species), usually treated as a subphylum. ... SQUIDs, or Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices, are used to measure extremely small magnetic fields; they are currently the most sensitive such devices (magnetometers) known, with noise levels as low as 3 fT·Hz−½. While a typical fridge magnet is ~0. ... Families Sepiadariidae Sepiidae Cuttlefish are marine animals of the order Sepiida belonging to the Cephalopoda class (which also includes squid, octopuses and nautiluses). ...

Because of the island's sub-tropical location, Taiwan has an abundant supply of various fruit, such as papayas, melons and citrus. The papaya, also known as pawpaw, mamao, or tree melon, is the fruit of the tree Carica papaya. ... This article is about the fruits called melons. ... Species & major hybrids Species Citrus aurantifolia - Key lime Citrus maxima - Pomelo Citrus medica - Citron Citrus reticulata - Mandarin & Tangerine Major hybrids Citrus ×sinensis - Sweet Orange Citrus ×aurantium - Bitter Orange Citrus ×paradisi - Grapefruit Citrus ×limon - Lemon Citrus ×limonia - Rangpur lime Citrus ×latifolia - Persian lime See also main text for other hybrids Citrus...

Some of Taiwan's agricultural products in general are rice, corn, tea, pork, poultry, beef, fish, and other fruits and vegetables. Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice is two species of grass (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and in Africa. ... Look up corn in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tea leaves in a Chinese gaiwan. ... Two halves of a pig being delivered Pork is the meat taken from pigs. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A cut of beef. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ...

The scarcity of natural resources has made for hard living on the island. As the Taiwanese had to make do with very little, they show remarkable adaptiveness, craftiness and creativity when it comes to preparing food.

From many of their dishes, the Taiwanese have shown their inventiveness in the selection of spices. Taiwanese cuisine relies on an abundant array of seasonings for flavour: Soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, Black beans, pickled radishes, peanuts, chili peppers, parsley, and a local variety of basil ("nine story tower"). The resulting dishes thus combine and form interesting tastes which make Taiwanese cuisine simple in format yet complex in experience. Soy sauce (US) or soya sauce is a fermented sauce made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain, water and salt. ... Rice wine refers to alcoholic beverages made from rice. ... Sesame oil (also known as gingelly oil and til oil) is an organic oil derived from sesames, noted to have the distinctive aroma and taste of its parent seed. ... Black bean can mean: The black turtle bean, a small, black variety of the common bean especially popular in Latin American cuisine Douchi, a kind of fermented soybean especially popular in the cuisine of China The black gram Any black-colored variety of bean; beans which include black-colored varieties... bunch of radishes The radish (Raphanus sativus) is a root vegetable of the Cruciferae family. ... Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000 — the day after Schulzs death. ... The chile pepper (also chili or chilli; from Spanish chile) is the fruit of the plant Capsicum from the nightshade family (Solanaceae). ... Species Percentages are relative to US RDI values for adults. ... Binomial name Ocimum basilicum L. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) of the Family Lamiaceae is also known as St. ...

Famous dishes and snacks in each of the main cities

Chiayi

Turkey Rice Bowl (Ch: 火雞肉飯; MTL: hoefkef baq png). Chiayi City (Chinese: 嘉義市; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: chia-yi shih; Taiwanese: Ka-gÄ« chhÄ«) is a provincial city in Southwestern Taiwan. ... Modern Taiwanese Language (MTL) is an orthography in the Latin alphabet for the Taiwanese language based on the Taiwanese Modern Spelling System (TMSS), pioneered by Professor Liim Keahioong in 1943. ...

Hsinchu

Pork spheres (pork balls), often eaten in a soup. The main landmark of Hsinchu is its East Gate. ...

Dasi

Dasi dried tofu (大溪豆干), a snack Dasi (大溪) is an urban township in eastern Taoyuan County, Taiwan Province of the Republic of China. ...

Taichung

Suncake is the most noted pastry in Taichung. It is baked layered pastry with a sweet center that is often made with honey or molasses. Taichung (Chinese: ; pinyin: Táizhōng; Wade-Giles: Tai-chung; POJ: Tâi-tiong) is a city located in west-central Taiwan with a population of just over one million people, making it the third largest city on the island, after Taipei and Kaohsiung. ... A suncake (Chinese: 太陽餅; Pinyin: ) is a popular Taiwanese dessert originally from the city of Taichung in Taiwan. ...

Tainan

Pork knuckles (Traditional Chinese: 豬腳肉, POJ: ti-kha-bah), Tainan noodles (Traditional Chinese: 台南擔仔麵, POJ: Tâi-lâm tàⁿ-á-mī), shrimp and meat dumplings (Traditional Chinese: 蝦仁肉丸; pinyin: xiārénròuwán, POJ: hê-jîn-bah-oân), and shrimp crackers/biscuits are among the most notable local dishes. Tainan redirects here; for the county of the same name see Tainan County. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... It has been suggested that Pinyin method be merged into this article or section. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ...

Coffin Bread (Chinese: 棺材板; pinyin: guāncáibǎn) is similar to French Toast, but filled with savory fillings, such as Black Pepper Beef or Curry Chicken. Thick cut bread is dipped in egg, deep fried, cut along three sides, opened and filled, and eaten. It has been suggested that Pinyin method be merged into this article or section. ... French toast serving French toast (also known as Fried Eggy Bread) is a popular breakfast main course in North America, parts of Europe, and Hong Kong. ... An Indian chicken curry Curry is the English description of any of a general variety of spiced dishes, best-known in Indian, Thai, Malaysian and other South Asian cuisines, but curry has been adopted into all of the mainstream cuisines of the Asia-Pacific area. ... Deep frying is cooking food by submerging the whole food item in hot oil or fat, originating in Africa. ...

Typical dishes

Oyster omelet.

Blood pudding (豬血糕) on a stick

Many flavors of Taiwanese sausages are sold at a night market vendor.

• jiû-hî keⁿ (Chinese: 魷魚羹; pinyin: yóuyú gēng) - thickened soup with cuttlefish wrapped in fish paste.
• ô-á-chian (蚵仔煎, kézǎi jiān) - omelet made with tiny oysters.
• ô-á mī-sòaⁿ (蚵仔麵線, kézǎi miànxiàn), or oyster vermicelli
• o· bí-ko (烏米糕, hēimǐ gāo [黑米糕]) - a dish made from pork blood and rice. It is usually cut into a rectangular piece and served on a stick, topped with peanut paste, hot sauce, and cilantro.
• ló·-bah-pn̄g (魯肉飯, lǔròu fàn) - minced fatty pork served on rice.
• tōa-tn̂g pau sió-tn̂g (大腸包小腸), or small sausage in large sausage
• Sān bēi jī (三杯雞) - 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. Alternately, the sauce can also be made of a cup each of rice wine, sugar, and soy sauce.

Download high resolution version (814x464, 114 KB)Taiwanese oyster omelet. ... Download high resolution version (814x464, 114 KB)Taiwanese oyster omelet. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 107 KB)Taiwanese blood pudding (豬血糕), which is composed of pigs blood steamed with rice. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 107 KB)Taiwanese blood pudding (豬血糕), which is composed of pigs blood steamed with rice. ... Morcilla cocida: Spanish-style blood sausage Blood sausage or black pudding or blood pudding is a sausage made by cooking down the blood of an animal with meat, fat or filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. ... It has been suggested that Pinyin method be merged into this article or section. ... Families Sepiadariidae Sepiidae Cuttlefish are marine animals of the order Sepiida belonging to the Cephalopoda class (which also includes squid, octopuses and nautiluses). ... A hawker is making oyster omelette in the Shilin night market, Taipei. ... Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron, opened The name oyster is used for a number of different groups of mollusks which grow for the most part in marine or brackish water. ... A bowl of Oyster vermicelli Oyster vermicelli (Chinese: 蚵仔麵線, Pronunciations: Kèzái miànxiàn (in Mandarin), ô-á mÄ«-sòaⁿ (in Min Nan) ) is a kind of noodle soup that is popular in Taiwan and Xiamen. ... an instance of small intestine in large intestine observed in Taipei. ... San bei ji (三杯雞) is a popular and traditional specialty chicken dish in Taiwan. ...

Desserts

• bubble tea, also known as boba milk tea or pearl milk tea
• grass jelly (仙草, xiāncǎo, sian-chháu) - jelly of the Mesona procumbens
• ò-giô-peng (愛玉冰, ài yù bīng) - a gelatinous dessert made from the seeds of a fig-like fruit, probably Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang. Served on ice.
• ō͘-á-peng (芋仔冰, yù bīng) - a dessert made of frozen taro root paste.

Many of the non-dessert dishes are usually considered snacks, not entrees; that is, they have a similar status to the Cantonese dim sum or the Spanish tapas. Such dishes are usually only slightly salted, with lots of vegetables along with the main meat (or seafood) item. Bubble tea from Quickly, with black tapioca pearls visible at the bottom of the cup Bubble Tea is a tea beverage originating recently in Taiwan. ... Grass Jelly is a kind of snack of some areas on southern China. ... Species See text Mesona is a genus in the mint family (Lamiaceae). ... Species About 800, including: Ficus altissima Ficus americana Ficus aurea Ficus benghalensis- Indian Banyan Ficus benjamina- Weeping Fig Ficus broadwayi Ficus carica- Common Fig Ficus citrifolia Ficus coronata Ficus drupacea Ficus elastica Ficus godeffroyi Ficus grenadensis Ficus hartii Ficus lyrata Ficus macbrideii Ficus macrophylla- Moreton Bay Fig Ficus microcarpa- Chinese... Binomial name Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Taro corms for sale Taro (from Tahitian), more rarely kalo (from Hawaiian), is a tropical plant grown primarily as a vegetable food for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable. ... Cantonese (Yue) cuisine originates from Guangdong Province in southern China, or more precisely, the area around Canton (Guangzhou). ... Dim sum (Chinese: 點心; Cantonese IPA: dɪm2sɐm1; Pinyin: diǎnxīn; Wade-Giles: tien-hsin; literally dot heart or order heart, meaning order to ones hearts content; also commonly translated as touch the heart, dotted heart, or snack), a Cantonese term... Puntillitas, battered and fried baby squid Olives, an example of tapas For the spiritual concept, see Tapas (Sanskrit). ...

Vegetarian restaurants are commonplace with a wide variety of dishes. For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ...

There is a type of outdoor barbecue called khòng-iâu (焢窯). To barbecue in this manner, first build a hollow pyramid up with dirt clods. Next, burn some charcoal or wood inside until the temperature inside the pyramid is very high (the dirt clods should be glowing red). Finally, place some taro, yam, or chicken in cans in the pyramid and topple the pyramid over the food. Keep the items under the hot dirt clods until they are thoroughly cooked. A barbecue in a public park in Australia A barbecue on a trailer at a block party in Kansas City Pans on the top shelf hold hamburgers and hot dogs that were grilled earlier when the coals were hot. ... Binomial name Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Taro corms for sale Taro (from Tahitian), more rarely kalo (from Hawaiian), is a tropical plant grown primarily as a vegetable food for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable. ... Yams at Brixton market For the term yam as used in the United States, see sweet potato. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Taiwanese people also eat a lot of fruit, both local and imported.

Night market dishes

A partitioned Taiwanese crepe (潤餅; po bian) whose wheat-based wrapper is unfried.

Surrounded by ocean on all sides, seafood has been an important staple in the Taiwanese diet. Here is grilled squid sold at a night market vendor.

Taiwan's best-known snacks are present in the night markets, 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. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x750, 119 KB)A sliced Taiwanese spring roll. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x750, 119 KB)A sliced Taiwanese spring roll. ... Night markets in Taiwan are similar to those in China and other areas inhabited by ethnic Chinese such as Southeast Asia, and Chinatowns worldwide. ...

• Stinky tofu (臭豆腐, chhàu tāu-hū, chòu dòufǔ) - the aroma of stinky tofu is intimidating at first but can be an acquired taste.
• Ba wan (肉圓, roù yuán, lit. "meat circle"}}) - a sticky gelatinous dough filled with pork, bamboo shoots, shiitake, and served with a savory sweet sauce
• Grilled corn - a more recent appearance on the night market scene.
• Taiwanese sausages - fatty pork sausages with a sweet taste. It is served on a stick with many different flavors and condiments of choice. Sometimes, it is wrapped in a glutinous rice sausage (大腸包小腸).
• Scallion pancakes - flour pancake with many thin layers, made with scallions.
• Candied Crabapples - red candy coated bite-sized fruits served on a stick. Sometimes the crabapples are stuffed with preserved plums, and then candied.
• Squid or fish on a stick - often marinated, then grilled
• Shaved ice - popular dessert consisting of shaved ice and a variety of toppings to choose from: red beans, green beans, pineapple, condensed milk, grass jelly, lychees, peanuts, rice balls, etc.
• Tempura - made from starch and minced meats.
• Oyster omelet - made from eggs, glutinous rice, oysters, and Garland chrysanthemum leaves. It has a soft, sticky texture, and is eaten with a sweet and mildly spicy sauce, topped with cilantro.
• Taiwanese Crepes - crispy flour crepe filled with a variety of choices, such as seafood crepe.
• Fruit or bean smoothies - milk or ice is blended on the spot with fresh papaya, mango, watermelon, red bean, or green bean
• Fried glutinous rice balls - slightly sweet in flavor
• Fried chicken pieces - small chunks of chicken sprinkled with peppers and basil flavor
• Shawarma (沙威馬, shāwēimǎ) - usually made from chicken and is served on a leavened, white flour bun with julienned cabbage, a slice of tomato, sliced onions, ketchup, and mayonnaise. Brought over from Turkey decades ago.
• Blood pudding- pig's blood rice cakes, pig/goose's blood soup
• BBQ duck's head

Stinky tofu is often served deep-fried with chili sauce. ... Green onion pancake (蔥油餅) is a Chinese snack consisting of a non-leavened salty pancake infused with oil and minced scallions (green onions). ... SQUIDs, or Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices, are used to measure extremely small magnetic fields; they are currently the most sensitive such devices (magnetometers) known, with noise levels as low as 3 fT·Hz−½. While a typical fridge magnet is ~0. ... A hawker is making oyster omelette in the Shilin night market, Taipei. ... Glutinous rice ( or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, mochi rice, and pearl rice) is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. ... Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron, opened The name oyster is used for a number of different groups of mollusks which grow for the most part in marine or brackish water. ... Garland chrysanthemum (Leucanthemum coronarium), also known as chrysanthemum greens or edible chrysanthemum, is a leaf vegetable in the genus Leucanthemum. ... Red bean can mean: Azuki bean (Vigna angularis), most common in East Asia Rice bean (Vigna umbellata) Any of various red varieties of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), including the kidney bean, Honduran red bean, and Salvadoran red bean This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A skewer of chicken shawarma in Hama The Shawarma Ad in Russian and Arabic, Moscow Shawarma (Arabic: ‎; Hebrew: ) also spelled chawarma, shwarma, shawerma, or shoarma, from the Turkish word çevirme (turning) which is another name used for döner kebab (IPA: turned thing) is a Middle Eastern-style sandwich usually... Julienning is a method of food preparation in which the food item is cut into long thin (matchstick-sized) strips. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Binomial name Solanum lycopersicum L. Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... For the parody newspaper, see The Onion. ... A bottle of Heinz Organic Ketchup Ketchup (or less commonly catsup) also known as Red Sauce or Tomato Sauce is a popular condiment, usually made with ripened tomatoes. ...

See also

• Cuisine
• Chinese cuisine
• Cooking

A cuisine (from French cuisine, meaning cooking; culinary art; kitchen; itself from Latin coquina, meaning the same; itself from the Latin verb coquere, meaning to cook) is a specific set of cooking traditions and practices, often associated with a place of origin. ... Chinese cuisine is widely seen as representing one of the richest and most diverse culinary cuisines and heritages in the world. ... Cooking is the act of applying heat to food in order to prepare it to eat. ...

External links

• Popular Food Culture in Taiwan