Bizarre Food to Try in Taiwan

There is certainly no denying that the Republic of China features an exceptionally wonderful culinary landscape, with unrivalled inspiration from the likes of China, Japan, and even Western cultures, which really puts Taiwan open to many different, unusual and downright bizarre combinations, especially when it comes to food. Visitors to Taiwan are always recommended to head out onto the streets and explore the local street markets and street food for some of Taiwan’s incredible yet bizarre delicacies. In this article, we will be taking a look at bizarre food to try in Taiwan, and we promise, you won’t be disappointed!

Duck Tongue

Yes, you heard right, duck tongue! A delicacy straight from Taiwan, with many street vendors selling this dish with the likes of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine and even basil. Duck is considered as one of the most luxurious ingredients that can be found in Chinese dishes. You can even discover ‘All Duck’ banquets which make use of every part of the bird, which no longer makes grilled or stewed duck tongues sound too unusual, especially considering you could end up eating feet, like our next dish.

Chicken Feet

As far as bizarre foods go, the concept of chicken feet certainly should be added to the list. In Taiwan, you will soon discover street vendors who are more than capable of working their magic with chicken feet, which has made it into something of a very popular snack among locals.

Pig’s Blood Cake

Most likely not for the feint hearted, but certainly one of Taiwan’s more exotic dishes available is pig’s blood cake. It’s served hot and spicy and is combined with a form of sticky rice and of course, pig’s blood. It’s created into a flat cake before being skewered. It can be garnished with cilantro, powdered peanut, hot sauce, or soy sauce, depending entirely on your preference.

Century Egg

Century egg is also referred to as ‘millennium egg’ or even a ‘thousand year egg’ and is considered a significantly well sought after delicacy which is traditional to China and exceptionally popular in Taiwan. Unlike the name of the dish suggests, the egg is not a thousand years old, in fact the eggs (often duck, chicken or quail) are actually preserved in a form of alkaline, tea, lime, salt and even wood ash for up to several weeks or even months. The development time with the use of the alkaline mixture makes the shell of the egg look aged and the inside shiny amber. The gray yolk begins to develop an exceptionally rich and pungent flavour which can often smell very similar to ammonia or cheese. Soy sauce or sesame oil is usually topped on the egg to increase the taste and distract from the powerful odor.

Stinky Tofu

Another smelly dish on our list is stinky tofu which is unmistakable once you discover its potent odor. Stinky tofu is considered a Taiwanese delicacy that requires a highly delicate process that involves fermentation of tofu in a mixture of meat brine, milk, shellfish, or vegetables up to several months.