Kolcha Tuesday: A Taste of Taiwanese Cuisine

Art Box – Belize Arts and Crafts Centre located at mile forty-six on the George Price Highway in Belmopan was the stage for the 2023 Taiwan Cuisine Show. It featured a top chef from Taiwan and food tasting of signature dishes from various Taiwanese restaurants in Belize. One thing we found out is that cuisine transcends borders because some traditional Taiwanese dishes are similar to those in many of the cultures here in Belize.  In tonight’s Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Duane Moody indulges in Taiwanese cuisine.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Wontons, dumplings, braised pork and rice are among a list of Taiwanese foods and dishes that are enjoyed across the world and in Belize, it is no different. It is not to be confused with Chinese food and there are many restaurants across the country that provide some of these authentic Taiwanese cuisines.

Belar Lu

Belar Lu, Interpreter, Taiwan Cuisine Show 2023

“He made four signature dishes of the Taiwanese cuisine, but one of the ones that stands out from tradition time is the braised pork meat on top of the rice. That is something that’s a childhood dish, is a comfort food for most families. If you mention this name, you would know it. It is called “Lu Rou Fan.”

While the presentation of these traditional Taiwanese dishes was a nostalgic moment for Ambassador Lily Li-Wen Hsu, she says that there are similar, but local variations of these foods in Belizean cultural cuisine.

Lily Li-Wen Hsu

Dr. Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize

“We helped them to find the ingredients locally and put together some dishes that we feel really authentic and that can reflect what we Taiwanese like.”

Duane Moody

“You are saying that these are traditional Taiwanese cuisine, traditional Taiwanese foods, but I am seeing Belize in it as well.”

Dr. Lily Li-Wen Hsu

“Yes and that is absolutely right. Food transcends boundaries. And good food, delicious foods, everybody loves and it binds us together. And so this is a terrific way to use food as a medium to have cultural exchange.”

There was something for everyone – for vegetable wontons, bubble milk tea, as well as spring rolls and dumplings.

Heng Lin

Heng Lin, Server, Veggie Gardens

“It’s a vegetarian restaurant. We offer all vegetarian cuisine, also vegan. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can stop by. Even though if you are not vegetarian, you won’t miss meat. We started in 2010. We were first in Forest Drive and now we moved behind Gallardo Hardware. We have spring rolls, we have dumplings, fry noodles; we also do catering dishes as well. So if you have a group of people, you just have to let us know and we do the catering dish for you as well.”

Evelyn Griffin

Evelyn Griffin, Simple Life Restaurant

“We offer a variety of Taiwanese style food, so it is different from the typical Chinese food that we know here in Belize. It is surprising for me because I do see a lot of people go there that are not Taiwanese and they really enjoy it.”

Duane Moody

“Talk to us about the variety of the foods that you offer?”

Evelyn Griffin

“First of all we have the dumplings. We offer seven different flavours. We have the vegetable, we have cabbage pork, curry chicken, spicy Thai pork, sweet corn pork, beef onion.”

Andy Lin

Andy Lin, Owner, Formosa Cafe

“It reminds me of my hometown. It is something that I would like to share where I grow up in Belize. I have been in Belize for the past twenty-nine years and this is like my second home. We have bubble milk tea which is a very popular drink in Taiwan. It is a little tapioca ball made of cassava.”

Duane Moody

“Let’s talk about the offerings that you guys have.”

Andy Lin

“So bubble milk tea and then we have jasmine tea and all type of coffee from hot, iced, frozen, caramel, mocha, chocolate, our sea salt caramel; and also we do fruit smoothies.”

Also featured at the event was the sheep and goat project which is based in Central Farm. Stew lamb was prepared and served. It is a leaner, more sustainable and healthy meat source that can be purchased by farmers to improve the genetic makeup of their livestock.

Eason Huang

Eason Huang, Manager, Sheep & Goat Project

“We are trying to promote them in Belize, try to let more Belizeans know how the taste is good for this kind of good protein source. So today, we did the stew lamb that is made by our assistant, Miss Sheryl. So the farmers can come to central farm, come to us and buy the good quality sheep and goat then bring them back to your farm. And then you can use our good genetics to improve your farm.”

Sheryl Peters

Sheryl Peters, Project Assistant, Sheep & Goat Project

“To season – I used onions, sweet pepper, culantro, complete seasoning, consume, black pepper and recado. When I first put it on the stove, I used some coconut oil in there, I put the meat in there, had it brown. I left it there for about fifteen minutes then I covered it for about two hours and then it got that soft.”

Served with a pico de gallo and corn tortillas, I had to get a sample and all I will say is I am now a fan of stew lamb. Duane Moody for News Five.