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Fènglísū are Taiwanese pineapple cakes, one of the country's most popular desserts and souvenirs. The cakes consist of a buttery, crumbly crust that is filled with a tangy, slightly sweet pineapple jam. The name of the dish is derived from fèng lí, meaning pineapple, and sū, meaning shortcake.
Originally, they were prepared during the period of China's Three Kingdoms Dynasty. The three kingdoms were separated into Wei, Shu, and Wu kingdoms, and the emperor of Shu wanted to marry a sister of Wu's emperor, so he sent a large pineapple cake as a gift.
MOST ICONIC Fènglísū
This Taiwanese classic consists of bite-sized pieces of chicken that are primarily marinated in a flavorful combination of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, rice wine, and various spices. The pieces are then coated in potato or corn starch and deep-fried until crispy.
The dish is usually prepared with boneless chicken thighs, and while traditional seasonings include salt, pepper, and five-spice, modern variations may employ a variety of spices such as seaweed powder, mustard powder, or allspice. Taiwanese popcorn chicken is known by many names and it is one of the iconic street food items, enjoyed throughout the country.
MOST ICONIC Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
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Simple, juicy, and savory lu rou fan is a popular Taiwanese dish consisting of ground pork braised in soy sauce, five-spice powder, and rice wine until it becomes tender and flavorful. It is traditionally served over rice, although some cooks like to replace the rice with noodles.
Sometimes, pickled cucumbers or shiitake mushrooms are served alongside the dish. Literally translated, lu rou fan means stewed meat rice, and the dish is sometimes referred to as Taiwanese ragú. In Taiwan, lu rou fan was originally consumed as a nutritious and healthy meal for farming families, but today it can be found almost everywhere, from home kitchens to restaurants and street stalls.
MOST ICONIC Lu rou fan
The savory, spicy beef noodle soup is the national dish of Taiwan and the source of immense pride for the locals. The dish is an ideal winter comfort food, typically consisting of beef, broth, vegetables, noodles, and spices. Beef noodle soup has a great Sichuan influence dating back to the 1940s, when China was in civil war and many Chinese people moved to Taiwan, creating this cross-provincial dish and incorporating chili bean sauce and Sichuan peppercorns into it along the way.
Variations are endless when making this long-simmering stew, and in Taiwan, there are numerous side dishes to accompany it, such as seaweed and braised dried tofu. Today, there is even an annual Beef Noodle Festival held in Taipei, where various restaurants and cooks compete for the prestigious title of Best Beef Noodle.
MOST ICONIC Beef Noodle Soup
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Oyster omelette originated in the city of Chaozhou (Teochew) and the region of Fujian in China. It is a signature dish of the Hokkien people - Chinese diaspora in Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The dish consists of small oysters added to a mixture of potato starch and egg batter.
Depending on the region, cooks will sometimes add a dash of spicy chili sauce mixed with lime juice to intensify the taste of the whole dish. The city of Tainan in Taiwan is even unofficially called the snack city, especially because it offers one of the best oyster omelettes in the region - unsurprisingly so, because its coastal location ensures that it is never in lack of fresh oysters.