Growing up, whenever I told people that I was from Taiwan, the question that I got was either "Taiwan? Is that in Thailand?" "Taiwan? Don't you mean Thailand?" Nowadays, most people do know where and what Taiwan is, but there are still people who are "confused." As a Taiwanese, it's sometimes a struggle that people don't know what Taiwan is and what are some noteworthy points of Taiwan, mainly: Food.
1. Boba
Even with the boba craze that is going on in the nation, many don't even know where boba originated from. Fact: The origins of boba traces back to Taiwan!
2. Pineapple Cake
When people visit Taiwan, one of the most common gifts that they bring back home to give to others is Pineapple Cakes. They're made with dried pineapples inside of the pastry.
3. Stinky Tofu
Most non-Taiwanese people hate the smell and the taste of Stinky Tofu, but honestly it isn't bad.
4. Beef Noodles
The soup of a beef noodles bowl is often cooked for hours before serving. The rich flavors that a bowl provides satisfies everyone who decides to try the bowl.
5. Shaved Ice
In the Bay Area, shaved ice is something that is somewhat prominent. The famous Mango Shaved Ice in Taiwan is something definitely worth trying and most people enjoy it in the summer.
6. Braised Pork Rice
One of the many cheap street foods in Taiwan. A bowl filled with rice and braised pork will only cost you around $1-$2.
7. Cold Noodles
Cold noodles are counted as part of the traditional Taiwanese eats. Usually served with sesame sauce, ham strips, and cucumber strips, the dish is great during the summer.
8. Hotpot
Many places in the Bay Area serve hot pot. What many people don't know is that Taiwan is pretty famous for its hot pot. Most places serve pots with two different flavors. The restaurants tend to get long lines during the winter for people to drink the soup to warm up.
9. Three Cup Chicken
A popular dish at stir-fry restaurants in Taiwan is the Three Cup Chicken. No. It's not made with three cups of chicken. Instead, it is made out of three cups of different ingredients that make the sauce that the chicken is covered in.
10. Oyster Omelette
Often a food found in night markets, the famous dish mainly consists of eggs, oysters, some vegetables, and a special sauce that is made for the dish.
11. Fried Chicken
Another popular and famous street food is the fried chicken in Taiwan. Most of the time, people order the fried chicken and some other side dishes to go along with the chicken and they are fried together.
12. Ginger Duck
A very popular dish in the winter, the soup of the Ginger Duck is boiled for hours with traditional Chinese herbs.
13. Taiwanese Breakfast
A traditional Taiwanese breakfast is a highly complimented meal. The most popular dish contains mainly of a fried pastry within another pastry.
14. Salt Water Flavored Chicken
The salt water flavored chicken is a popular street food and is basically chicken and other small vegetables soaked in salt water. The dish is often consumed with beer.
15. Duck
There are two ways that people eat duck. Whether it be the classic way of simply eating the roasted duck in slices within thin flour-made wraps and tangy sauce, or stir-fried with basil and chili, people enjoy the different ways of cooking duck.
16. Mochi
Most people think of mochi as the Japanese mochi. However, Taiwan's mochi is referring to a traditional mochi dish, which is simply balls made of rice that is covered in peanut powder.
17. Lamb Hot Pot
Another popular dish in Taiwan in the winter is lamb hot pot. Like the ginger duck, the soup of the lamb hot pot is also boiled with Chinese herb for hours.
18. Yellow Cake
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Much like many simple pastries, the yellow cakes is a simple pastry that doesn't have much flavor, but little children love it. The snack come in all different shapes and can often be found on some carts on the streets and in night markets.
19. Guabao
Guabao, also known as Taiwanese hamburgers, is a dish that takes pork belly, cilantro, and peanut powder to wrap inside of a bun.
20. Tofu Pudding
Another popular dessert is the tofu pudding. The tofu pudding is made out of soybeans and is put into a bowl of syrupy goodness. Toppings are then added to add more flavor and texture to the dish.
