Slide Show- Stinky Tofu

Check this out, here is another famous food in Taiwan, the "Stinky Tofu."

Oyster Thin Noodle

Oyster Thin Noodles have many different names, in English version, known as oyster vermicelli, oyster noodles soup or Oyster Chitterling Thin Noodles. Many foods taste different depends on areas, take Oyster Thin Noodle as sample, northern and southern tastes different; northern taste much salty and southern taste sweeter. The original Oyster Thin Noodles is from Amoy province of China, also, it is called “Thicken Threaded Noodle Soup,” and there is no oyster in it. When this traditional circulate to Taiwan, thin noodle becomes diversification. Oyster is the most common ingredient with thin noodle and it taste good when it put together with it.

It is simple to make the basic thin noodle; water, noodle, corn starch, soya sauce and some condiments. Most vendors usually cook in a large pot, this size could sales hundreds of bowl like the one on the right picture. Some people take thin noodle as breakfast, lunch, dinner and even late night snack. Basically, this is a snack food, it's quite popular food in Taiwan. 

Fresh and cooked oyster is cover on the top of thin noodle, and every oyster is big and looks good. By the way, seafood is another important major food sources in Taiwan, because
Taiwan is an Island, surround with the sea. After the oyster, what's on the top of it is coriander leaves. These leaves smells good with many food, like soup; the major purpose is for add more flavor with the food itself. 

It just taste amazing with oyster and leaves combining together in mouth. A little bit black vinegar and spicy sauce make all taste improve to another leave. It is really an special traditional snack.

Beat The Heat via "Shaved Ice"

When the summer comes, the temperature could get up to over one hundred Celsius. Now it’s summer time again, any drinks with ice can cool you down straight through mouth down to stomach. On the market, there are many “Ice” products that you can choose; snow ice, ice cream, or smoothie, all made from ice. In Taiwan, people like to have “Shaved Ice,” this is the closet name for this lovely traditional snack. Let’s have a “Shaved Ice” to beat the heat.

 In Taiwan, the store usually have more than 20 different ingredients for you to choose, and also fruits. Normally, you can choose three different ingredients; you can choose more than three if you want.

Personally, beans and fruits are my favorite ingredients, it's healthier and won't get too sweet. Some ingredients, such as tapioca or starch pearl could stretch your stomach, but it is tasty, many people like it. 

This is what I have, taros, green beans and white beans.

 













This particular machine shave ice into a shape like snow.

After the shaved ice cover all on the top, and pour one spoon or more sugar on it.

When all ingredients mix together in mouth, the body seems cool down just like pour cool water on the head.

It just feels good after wolf down the whole plate, the heat just flee from my body. There are many choices you can take, some fruits jam is available pour on the top. Enjoy this lovely ice snack for this summer, just cool down your body.

Only One, Might Make You Full

Yes, dragon boat race is not the only one thing to do during the festival, "Food" is the most important following point, that's right, the Zongzi. Zongzi is a special traditional food in Taiwan and also China, which is only appear for celebrate on the particular festival, the Dragon Boat Festival.

The apparent green leaf around Zongzi is made from bamboo; the leaf itself can enhance the inside ingredients. 

In Zongzi, the sticky rice wrap up many ingredients, usually the basic materials are skinless mung beans, red bean paste, chop pork or chicken, salted duck eggs, and dried shrimp. 

Zongzi has different ingredients depending on the area; some people doesn't like to have beans in it, some people do, and some likes to have many meats inside, and some don't.

After thousands years, the variety change on Zongzi has been regionalized, but the traditional will always maintain this delicious traditional food.

Because Zongzi made with sticky rice, as known as steam rice, could make you full after eat one. A normal size Zongzi is between 400 to 600 calorie, homemade might be healthier or more calorie. Try it more if you can, you won't get hungry soon.

The Dragon Boat Festival

This week is the annual festival, The Dragon Boat Festival. Speak to the Dragon Boat Festival, it is start an ancient adored government officer named Chu Yuan. He was a respected man of people, due to the misdeeds of jealous rivals; eventually, he fell into disfavor of emperor's court. Because of disfavor, Chu Yuan threw himself into the Mi Lo River. After he dead in the river, people were anxiously to found him in the river, and throw rice into the river to appease the river dragons, but no one could found his body. Although Chu Yuan was unable to found, his efforts was still commemorated today during Dragon Boat Festival.  Since Chu Yuan dead, people hold the dragon race on the river for every year till now, to commemorate this great man in the history. People believe the one who wins the race can get the bless from the river dragon, and the live will be peace the rest of year.

There is one important thing that every family will purchase at the early food market, that is Artemisias.

Artemisias symbolizes the protection from evil and disease for the rest of the year.

 
During the celebration, people will hang up the Artemisias besides the door or somewhere at the front door, depends on the shape of door.  

People always can adjust the place they choose to hang up the Artemisias.

And one more interesting thing, people can stand an egg at exactly twelve o'clock, and if the egg stand well, that means, the following year will be a lucky one.