[TW] Taiwan’s “mega dumpling” – Ba Wan (肉圓)

As I’ve mentioned in the Xiao Zhan Du Sticky Rice Pudding‘s post, small eats are big things in Taiwan. Ba Wan is one of the Taiwanese foods that we can’t live without. It is no doubt my top 5 Taiwanese food.

Ba Wan
Ba Wan

Ba Wan can be found everywhere, from small booth on the street to food stall in the traditional market. The taste of it varies too. Just like every family knows how to make fried rice, but they all taste differently. The “skin” or the outer layer of Ba Wan is made with rice flour, corn starch, and sweet potato starch, and stuffed with pork and bamboo shoots. The sauce is poured on top upon serving.

There are two ways of cooking Ba Wan: steam and deep fried. Steamed Ba Wan has a softer texture comparing to the deep fried Ba Wan, which is more chewy. I like the steamed Ba Wan, because of its texture and of course, it’s definitely a healthier option comparing to the fried Ba Wan.

Fish Balls Soup
Fish Balls Soup

This is a classic soup that it’s found in any small eats restaurants. The “fish balls” are obviously made from white fish. It has a special mouthfeel that I don’t really know how to describe. It’s “crispy” in Chinese, but not the crackers type of crispy. However, it’s definitely not something that’s gross and mushy. The soup is often garnished with celery and spring onions (the greens in the soup).

It’s definitely a must-try if you every visited Taiwan! This is Taiwan-limited-only. 🙂

And. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you guys for the support throughout the year! I’ll try my best to keep up with the updates in 2014.

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