Few places can rival Macau, whose reputation for culinary creativity is well established.
You can literally taste the difference in this region of China.
And things are still evolving.
Over the last decade, the trend of fusion cuisine has taken hold, fueled by chefs from multiple backgrounds who have begun to create innovative dishes by mixing gastronomic traditions.
In Macau, this art has very deep roots, dating back at least four centuries – Macanese cuisine is recognized by UNESCO as a world pioneer in this regard.
The origins of this exceptional culinary tradition date back to the era of maritime exploration;
over time, the flavors have matured and decanted, in fact marinated, to compose a unique symphony of taste in Macau.
Cuisine is not only a mixture of ingredients and spices highlighted by cooking techniques, but also a blend of cultures and histories brought together in an extraordinary gastronomic patchwork.
This concentration of cross-cultural influences over the centuries is on the list of national intangible cultural heritage of China and has been added to that of Macao's intangible cultural heritage.
The city was designated a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy in 2017. Since then, local authorities have adopted a set of measures to preserve and maintain the heritage of this cuisine.
For their part, the chefs work tirelessly to ensure that the city's reputation continues to shine.
Big names to embody Macanese cuisine
For Ana Manhao Sou, typical local cuisine is the meals prepared at home by Portuguese natives of Macau.
Ms. Sou is 61 years old, her parents emigrated from Portugal to Macau in the 1950s, that's where she was born and raised, she speaks Cantonese fluently and despite her Western appearance, she is an authentic Macanese.
After retiring in 2013, she opened Belos Tempos restaurant, breaking into the local culinary scene.
Located on Rua da Felicidade, one of Macau's most historic and touristy streets, the small two-level establishment serves Portuguese and Macanese dishes.
Menus are written in English, Portuguese and Chinese.
The dishes draw on the Macanese tradition and culture dear to Ms. Sou, who highlights a notable characteristic of this cuisine: its wide variety of spices.
Those from India or Indonesia are used as much as others from countries along the maritime trade route, including curry, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and saffron.
The term PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
Tacho , whose flavors express the quintessence of the
food
culture of any Portuguese household in Macau, is one of Ms. Sou's specialties.
According to her, the word
tacho
means
big plate
in Portuguese .
This dish holds special meaning for Portuguese families in Macau during the Christmas period.
Ms. Sou explains:
“It is possible that the turkey does not have the honors of our table, but the
tacho
is a must that we enjoy even once a year.
»
She insists on the fact that each family has its own
tacho
recipe , different according to the manufacturing secrets passed down from generation to generation.
It is a culinary mosaic, combining various Chinese and Western ingredients, among which we usually find stewed chicken, pig's trotters, smoked duck legs, fried pork skin and cabbage.
Another typical dish is
minchi
, whose name is derived from the English
mince
, which refers to minced meat.
Minchi
can be prepared
in a variety of ways, with meat that can be pork, beef or a mixture of both, sometimes turkey or shrimp, vegetables marinated in vinegar, cubed fried potatoes and Portuguese sausage. smoked, among other ingredients.
Minchi
is another of Madame Sou's specialties
.
She stir-fries ground pork with cubed potatoes, which she serves topped with a perfectly cooked fried egg.
Ms. Sou believes that thanks to the support of local authorities, the current momentum for traditional cuisine is promising.
This enthusiast also gives lessons to young people to teach them how to make all the dishes on her menu.
When we talk about Macau cuisine,
bacalhau
deserves a special mention.
It is a salted cod dish that can be grilled, roasted, braised and even served raw.
It appears on the menu of many restaurants throughout Macau and is always very popular, especially when it is available in croquettes, balls made of a mixture of cod and mashed potatoes immersed in frying.
Usually, these bacalhau
croquettes
are eaten without accompaniments, but Jefferson Lim, the chef of Coast restaurant, has noticed that local consumers prefer to eat the fried dishes with sauces.
This is why he had the idea of serving them with two homemade sauces: one with egg yolk and the other with Maltese vinegar.
Mild but not too sweet, the Maltese vinegar sauce harmoniously contrasts with the crispiness of the meatballs and the whole thing is perfectly balanced.
Joao Casimiro, the Portuguese chef of the Rossio restaurant, offers another house specialty, African chicken, which also makes your mouth water.
African chicken created by Portuguese chef Joao Casimiro, from the Rossio restaurant in Macau.
PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
Usually, roast chicken is served covered in a layer of thick sauce.
Mr. Casimiro serves it with another sauce, a mild one, which he puts under the chicken to make it even tastier.
Mr. Casimiro has been behind the stove for sixteen years.
After cutting his teeth in Portugal and then working in Milan, he moved to Macau five years ago, where he is actively pursuing his impressive career.
“The cuisine here is a total fusion of cultures, which has developed over the years and mainly among people, in families, not in restaurants like here
,” explains the 38-year-old chef, who adds that every household had its own recipes, some of which unfortunately have been lost over time.
And to launch a proposal:
“I think that younger generations should research their families’ recipes and create a database.
»