Boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chili, a traditional Chinese dish originated from Chongqing Photo: VCG

The Diao Min Asia pickled fish restaurant in Taiwan Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Dongliang

From mouthwatering pickled fish, and konjac spicy strips to river snail rice noodles, a fascinating new phenomenon is sweeping through the island of Taiwan - the explosive rise of those dishes mushroomed in Taiwan and the local people are embracing the food culture of the Chinese mainland more than ever. 

Previously, bubble tea and fried chicken steak from Taiwan gained popularity in the Chinese mainland, while, now, the roles reversed and the mainland's river snail rice noodles, plum cake, pickled fish, and coconut chicken have swept across Taiwan, said Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

"This fully demonstrates that both sides share common customs, culinary traditions, and the same culture," she added. 

Identity and integration 

There is no stopping the demand for authentic Chinese cuisine on the Taiwan island. 

Endless snaking queues can be spotted outside famed brand restaurants during peak meal hours like Diao Min and Wow fish. 

These restaurants offer specialties that continue to lure delighted customers, and one of these traditional dishes is the sour and spicy boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chili, normally shortened as the pickled fish which is also known as Suan Cai Yu. 

Chinese-style pickled cabbage, or suan cai, is similar to German sauerkraut. 

Instead of fermented cabbage like pao cai, suan cai is a traditional Chinese pickled mustard or a sort of Chinese Napa Cabbage.

According to a report from the New York Times, "Chinese fermented cabbage actually began being made back in the days of the building of the Great Wall of China, when, by summer, the wall builders lived on cabbage and rice." 

In winter, rice wine was added to preserve the vegetable, which in turn fermented, or soured, into what is known today as sauerkraut. 

Later, this ingredient made it over to Europe from China thanks to the Tartars, who created an improved version by fermenting cabbage using salt instead of rice wine.

Suan Cai Yu is said to have originated from Southwest China and it is considered a classic dish in Chongqing. 

Searing hot and soupy broth of boiling gently fried fish slices, bean sprouts, chilli and selected mustard greens, the ingredients are all combined to create a dish that is simultaneously fiery, sweet, sour, savory.

The dish is primarily crafted from grass carp, with all kinds of the ingredients, eventually evolving into a golden soup dish, which includes soy sauce and peppercorns for a spicy kick, resulting in a sour-spicy flavor. 

Although the local people in Taiwan do not have a taste for extremely spicy food, they have maintained the fundamental taste of the traditional dish, said a restaurant manager named Zhang Dongliang, who is also the business proprietor of the restaurant Diao Min Asia pickled fish in Taiwan.

Local media noted that the younger generations in Taiwan are increasingly embracing the food culture from the Chinese mainland.

"There's an astonishing traffic both offline and online and more than 80 percent of our diners are returning customers and they love the unique taste of this dish," Zhang added.

Zhang has traveled to many cities in the Chinese mainland like Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen. 

In 2018, he opened a snack restaurant in Shenzhen, and in 2019 he opened his first Diao Min Asia in Taizhong in Taiwan. 

Now his restaurants have a total of six outposts in cities including Taipei and Taizhong. 

He praised the skyrocketing development of the Chinese mainland and expressed his willingness to expand his business with more stores in Taiwan and look forward to delving into more traditional mainland cuisines in order to offer unique dishes to the local people. 

Other Chinese mainland cuisines are also hot in Taiwan. 

"Not only the pickled fish, but also Peking roast duck, Chengdu hot pot, and northeastern-style barbecue are also popular among local people in Taiwan" said Zhang.

Emotional resonance  

When it comes to the fever for cuisine from Chinese mainland, the popular social platform Douyin and Xiaohongshu have played a prominent role in boosting mainland cuisines' popularity in Taiwan. 

The hashtag "Chinese mainland food in Taiwan" has gained numerous views on Xiaohongshu, a sharing platform beloved by urban youth across China.

"People in the catering business are thriving in Taiwan," Dong Bing, a Taiwan netizen, told the Global Times.

Dong added that "I heard that a lot of people queued up for up to two hours to get a Chinese mainland hamburger. " 

"Taiwan people have begun to embrace Chinese mainland food, and I really like Hunan-style crayfish cooking," wrote a Xiaohongshu user. 

According to the local media China Times data, food across the Taiwan Straits shows the two sides' common cultural roots and the emotional connection across the Straits. 

The article also noted that the close intertwining of flavor and life makes food culture permeate an invisible power that is emotionally connected across generations and warms the hearts of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. 

"We welcome more Taiwan people to participate in the exchange of food, and we welcome more people to visit the Chinese mainland, enjoy local food and taste more local specialties." Zhu said.