Taiwan's must-try food

Pineapple cakes are a very famous snack in Taiwan. They are often found at weddings, engagement banquets, and other banquets in Taiwan. They have very good meanings, so you must try pineapple cakes when you go to Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan also has the dish of large intestine wrapped in small intestine. Although it can also be found in mainland China, the cooking method may not be authentic, so when you go to Taiwan, you must try the authentic cooking method. The following introduces several must-eat foods in Taiwan. Let’s take a look.

Pineapple Cake

It is said that pineapple cakes originated in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The pronunciation of pineapple in the Minnan dialect is "wanglai", which symbolizes the prosperity of descendants. Pineapple is also a common offering in worship services in Taiwan, China, as it symbolizes "prosperity" and "good fortune". Therefore, it is also widely used in contemporary Taiwanese wedding customs and is deeply loved by the people. In Taiwan's wedding customs, there are six flavors of engagement cakes representing the six rites. One of the flavors, pineapple, is pronounced "Wang Lai" in the Minnan dialect, symbolizing the prosperity of descendants. Pineapple is also a common tribute used by Taiwanese people for worship, and it is taken from the meaning of "prosperity" and "prosperity", and is deeply loved by the people. Early pineapple gift cakes were too large for most people to afford. Nearly a hundred years ago, Yan Ping, a pastry chef in Taichung County, often carried his homemade "Dragon and Phoenix Cakes" to Taichung to sell. The original "Dragon Cake" was a large round cake filled with meat, while the "Phoenix Cake" of the same size was filled with pineapple. "Dragon and Phoenix Cake" is considered an indispensable wedding cake for engagement and wedding because of its auspicious meaning. Later, after Yan Ping's improvement, the pineapple cake was reduced to a delicate small cake weighing about 25 to 100 grams each, and the pineapple cake was born. The filling of pineapple cake is not just pineapple. For the sake of taste, winter melon is usually added, and this taste has become a habit for most people. In Taipei, you can buy pineapple cakes with different flavors such as whole grains, pine nuts, egg yolks, chestnuts, etc.; oats and other ingredients are also added to the crust to make the taste more diverse. Some businesses also use other fruits as fillings, and have invented melon pastries, honey plum pastries, sour plum pastries, etc. Later, it evolved into the modern "pineapple cake" made by combining Western pie crust and Chinese pineapple filling. Because the crust is crispy and melts in the mouth, and the pineapple filling is sweet but not greasy, this "combination of Chinese and Western" pineapple cake is even appreciated by Westerners, and has gradually become one of the most popular Taiwanese souvenirs for tourists outside the island. There is some difference in the flavors of the fillings of pineapple cakes and phoenix cakes. Pineapple cakes have sweet fillings, while phoenix cakes have salty and sweet flavors. Adding some salted egg yolks to the pineapple and winter melon fillings will make the taste better.

Large intestine wrapped in small intestine

The glutinous rice sausages and sausages in the Taiwanese delicacy "large intestine wrapped in small intestine" are usually grilled over charcoal first, and after the glutinous rice sausages are cut, they are also coated with soy sauce and other sauces. It is a special snack that became popular in Taiwan in the 1990s and is similar to the American hot dog. Night markets in some parts of Taiwan also offer a deluxe version of large intestine wrapped in small intestine. In addition to sausage, various ingredients such as garlic, peanut powder, sauerkraut, etc. are added to create a richer taste and texture. The glutinous rice sausages and sausages with large intestine wrapped in small intestine are usually grilled over charcoal first, and after the glutinous rice sausages are cut, they will also be coated with soy sauce and other sauces.

Changhua Meatballs

Changhua Meatballs are a specialty of Changhua County, Taiwan. It is said that they were created by Wu Xu Shuitao, a meatball stall owner in Changhua City. The outer skin of the meatballs is mostly made of sweet potato flour, and the fillings vary depending on the taste of each restaurant, but most restaurants use minced meat made from pork hind legs, topped with mushrooms. The preparation method is to first put the meatballs and the container into the steamer and steam them to fix the shape. When ready to eat, deep-fry them. Preparation method: Wash the dried bamboo shoots in the filling, soak them for 30 minutes, boil them in hot water to remove the sour taste, and cut them into small cubes for later use. After soaking the mushrooms until soft, remove the stems, cut into small dices, and cut the pork loin slices into small pieces for later use. For the filling, heat up a pan and add 3 tablespoons of oil. First, stir-fry the diced mushrooms and meat slices until fragrant. Then add the dried bamboo shoots, fried shallots, soy sauce, five-spice powder and pepper powder. Stir-fry evenly and wait until cool. Mix the batter ingredients evenly, put them on the gas stove and cook them slowly over low heat. Use a whisk to stir constantly until it becomes thick. After turning off the heat, wait until the batter drops to 35℃, then you can make the meatballs. Apply a little oil and batter on a small dish, add the filling prepared in step 2, and then cover it with another layer of batter. Put it in the steamer, cook it one by one, and steam it over medium-low heat for about 6 to 8 minutes. Add a little water to red food coloring and mix well. Then use a paper towel to absorb the moisture and this will be the ink. Take out the steamed meatballs, remove from the mold after they have cooled down, stamp the meatballs, and soak them in warm oil. When the surface of the meatballs becomes chewy and soft, remove from the mold and drain the oil. Place in a bowl, cut out a cross with scissors and set aside. Boil the sauce ingredients together, mix the thickening ingredients, pour into the sauce and mix well to make the sauce. Pour the sauce on the meatballs, add a little minced garlic and coriander to complete the Changhua meatballs.