In recent years, “Korean Wave” stars visiting Taiwan have used the popular Instagram hashtag “Taiwanese sensibility” (in Korean) for posts about daily life in Taiwan. They have highlighted Taiwan’s cultural charm—retro, unrestrained, and laid-back.
At night markets, many people stroll through at a leisurely pace in shorts and sandals, and there are countless vibrant vendors’ stands, fine foods, and kindhearted people.
“Stinky tofu,” known in Chinese as chou doufu, is compared by some to blue cheese. It has been reported on by international media like the BBC and CNN, and a number of eateries that offer it have earned Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendations. It has even attracted a Japanese expert in fermentation to come to Taiwan. It is a dish that travelers to Taiwan should not miss out on.
We have long been accustomed to thinking of vegetables as mild-flavored side dishes to go with fish and meat rather than taking a leading role on their own. But is this really the case? In response to the global trend of plant-based eating, the culinary and baking industries are proactively engaging in research and development that will give vegetables center stage.
In supermarkets in both Tokyo and California, one can buy edamame labeled with “Taiwan” as the country of origin. Housed inside their vivid green pods, the beans are firm to the bite, have a sweet flavor, and leave a pleasant aftertaste.
Douhua, usually translated as “tofu pudding” or “soybean pudding,” is a widely available and highly popular street-food sweet treat in Taiwan, though it has also been served to foreign dignitaries at state banquets. It looks like a simple dish, but Taiwanese are very particular about their douhua. It has to have a delicate texture and the syrup must be sweet but not cloying.
The trend of veganism is sweeping the globe. Taiwan is not to be outdone: across our islands, 14% of the population are vegetarians, while over 40% are flexitarians. The numbers continue to grow, shoring up Taiwan’s vegetarian-related industries.
Savory congee and rice noodle soup pair perfectly with crispy fried tofu; braised pork over rice or chicken over rice go best with a side of century egg tofu or braised tofu; and when having braised snacks or Taiwanese popcorn chicken, nothing hits the spot quite like dried tofu or tofu skin. Taiwan’s diverse range of soy products offers seemingly endless options—the makings of both grand feasts and small snacks that leave lasting impressions.
Soybeans, an important ingredient in East Asian cuisine and a major source of protein for its peoples, have given rise to a diverse dietary culture. Soy milk, tofu (a.k.a. bean curd), tofu pudding, tofu skin, soy sauce, fermented tofu, dried tofu, miso, black soybeans, and soybean sprouts all are soybean-based foods, and one can say that in Taiwan soybeans are an integral part of daily life.
This is a common reaction of African high-school students in computer classes taught by one of the international volunteer teams from National Tsing Hua University: “When they first see a computer, they look perplexed and surprised. When they touch a real computer, their delight is hard to put into words. And when they turn on the computer and see the screen light up, they are super happy!”
“If we leave even one student overseas with a good impression of Taiwan, that’s a very good start.” So says Hung Wen-jou, faculty advisor to the Beyond the Globe volunteer group at National Chi Nan University, which is dedicated to “education without borders.”
