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2011.07.08

Comments

Kalyan

Now trying to figure out how to reach Taiwan. The range of food available in the orient is just so amazing...they really trausure their tummies

Matt Gross

Robyn, I hate you, and I mean that in the sweetest, most loving way imaginable. Or maybe I'm just hungry.

kirbie

Salty soy milk is absolutely wonderful and a classic Taiwanese breakfast dish. I'm glad you like it!

Joan

I discovered your blog 2 days ago, and haven't been able to stop reading everything day and night. At first just to reminisce about all the Indonesian food I'm missing since I haven't been back home in over 10 years...Oh how I miss the food and I appreciate the fact that you went off the beaten path to Old Town Jakarta instead of just the usual tourist trap shopping malls...I always crave the noodles and all the Chinese Indonesian food in Glodok.
Now I'm just reading (obsessed) about how similar a lot of the cuisines in SE Asia are...
Thank you for your recent post, I've been eating Taiwanese breakfast for about 8 years now, but never dared to try the Salty Soy Milk...but I will now...

Can't wait for more!!

JEFF C

Robyn,
Haha, I had to laugh about this post because my wife who is from Taiwan never even knew about xian doujiang until I told her about it and I grew up in the States. She's always had it as cold and sweet.
The first time she had xian doujiang was at IMEI in Rowland Hts, CA.
I always kid her about it whenever we have xian doujiang.

Ariadne

OMG this looks amazing these pictures are KILLING ME!!!!

Katy

Guo Mao doesnt mean anything in Mandarin. 'gwoah maow lie' pronounced in Taiwanese dialect means 'will visit again'.
You'll find these in writing in Taiwan and almost incomprehensible if you dont know the dialect - the best example is when you see Xia Mi (shrimp/dried shrimp) - it actually means 'What'(Sher Me in Mandarin)

Albert

In the 永和 neighborhood of Taipei, there are a few shops selling these breakfast staples 24 hrs a day. Kinda like 24 hr IHOP (but with much better food ...), they sometimes get quite busy late in the night or very early morning, with a mix of post partying young people, folks who get up very early for early shifts of certain jobs, or just people hungry for 燒餅,油條,包子,豆漿 etc at weird hours.

Madame Fromage

I loved reading this post. Fascinating. And those griddle-fried dumplings look amazing. I think I had an epiphany here, too.

Eva Wong Nava

Oh, how I envy you.... :) I love doujiang but of the sweet variety since I've never tried the savoury one before nor heard of it.... I will try to locate some in Asia in a couple of weeks....

incidentally, I was in Sicily a couple of months back and went to a farm where they produce ricotta which rather reminded me of doujiang actually in that the texture was silky and smooth only salty instead of sweet. you can read it on my blog under 'say Cheeeeeeese'
thanks for this mouth watering post.... looking forward to breakfasting in SEAsia soon :)

Katy

The name ‘Guo Mao Lai Lai’ is in two parts –‘Guo Mao’ is the name of an area in Zuoying the Veteran village. ‘Lai Lai Dou Jiang’ is similar to a ‘brand’ name of doujiang, same as ‘Yong He Dou Jiang’. You will find both these names in different parts of Taiwan. For example, there is ‘Yong He Dou Jiang’ in Hsinchu and more than one ‘Lai Lai Dou Jiang’ in Kaohsiung – though both names originated from Taipei neighborhood and most likely unrelated to each other of the same name in terms of business connection. Lai Lai’s also possibly has a reference to Veteran culture, ie it was first created by Veterans or their family in their village around Taipei. Yonghe the name and the original store in Yonghe was created by a Taiwanese local.
If Dave has another photo , you may find ‘Guo Mao’ separated from ‘Lai Lai Doujiang’, and that would be the explanation. Also, that dark green dip (sauce) accompanied the baozi/dumpling – it could be Chinese Chive as you said if it’s got that distinctive taste, otherwise it is the green dark end part of scallions – the white and fresher green end are used for the stuffing/with meat, the rest go into home made sauces.

eastingfeasting

kinda reminds me of what's in new england clam chowder or any chowder, usually salt and milk is involved.
southeast asia use coconut milk
and this soy base is a great healthy option, all these finds are good for the winter soul,
truely an epiphany. You guys are awesome Robyn/Dave.

Chocolatesa

*sigh* this post makes me green with envy as I don't know if I'll ever get to go there myself to eat it... Can you get a recipe for me so I can make it myself?

Collin

I've heard Soy milk can make wonders in some recipes due to its unique flavoring. It's hard to find it in the US, though.

Gordon with Lower Back Pain

The dumplings looks appetizing, I am wondering where I can get the recipes to try this out?

w

once again, i *hate* you. For showing me such deliciousness, out of my reach. love.hate.

I read abt this savoury soy milk breakfast topped by spicy chilli oil a long time ago but never saw such gorgeous photos. That froth, that oil, those pickles...it's not worth trying to replicate this at home, is it, without the fresh, homemade soy milk that is just - i am with you here - so wholesome, so delicious, so UNLIKE anything that comes from the supermarket it's not even worth describing.

And those humongous buns! And those pan-fried ones. the doughy crunchy bottoms. The dark green pickles!! (yup, you can see where the obsession lies). ARGGGHHH!!

Hsuan

Hi Robyn, love your posts about Taiwan and especially the ones about Southern Taiwanese food. Thanks for this.

Stephanie

I LOVE doujiang, baozi and youtiao in Taiwan! Love your posts and really fabulous pictures! These pictures reminded me of my childhood. Makes me want to fly over to Taiwan right now, it's just 2 hours away from Shanghai. Thank you for posting you guys are awesome ^.^~

Robyn

Hsuan, you're welcome. We love S Taiwan -- hope to get back soon.

Stephanie, nice blog you have there. Whereabouts in the French concession are you? We lived there '96-'98. I had a dream of opening a little 4 or 5-table restaurant taking advantage of local ingredients to serve the sort of food on your site. Thanks for stopping by!

Broadbean

Thanks for this post - I have lived in Taiwan for a while and love those breakfast shops, but I'd always just assumed 'xian doujiang' was salted doujiang and never ordered it. Tried it tonight after reading this post and it was just as good as you say! I'll be having it again...

Robyn

Great to hear we've inspired you to find something new to love in Taiwan, Broadbean! Thanks for reading.

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