Macanese cuisine ( zh, 澳門土生葡菜, pt, culinária macaense) is mainly influenced by
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine encompasses the numerous cuisines originating from China, as well as overseas cuisines created by the Chinese diaspora. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has influenced many ot ...
, especially
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese or Guangdong cuisine, also known as Yue cuisine ( or ) is the cuisine of Guangdong province of China, particularly the provincial capital Guangzhou, and the surrounding regions in the Pearl River Delta including Hong Kong and Maca ...
and
European cuisine
European cuisine comprises the cuisines of Europe[ "European Cuisine."Portuguese cuisine
The oldest known book on Portuguese cuisine, entitled ''Livro de Cozinha da Infanta D. Maria de Portugal'', from the 16th century, describes many popular dishes of meat, fish, poultry and others.
''Culinária Portuguesa'', by António-Maria De O ...](_blank)
and influences from
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
and the Lusophone world, due to Macau's past as a Portuguese colony and long history of being an international tourist gambling centre.
''Minchi'',
egg tart
The egg tart (; ) is a kind of custard tart found in Chinese cuisine derived from the English custard tart and Portuguese pastel de nata. The dish consists of an outer pastry crust filled with egg custard. Egg tarts are often served at dim sum ...
s, pork chop buns, ginger milk and almond cakes are some of the region's most common delicacies. Common cooking methods make use of various spices such as
turmeric
Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asi ...
,
coconut milk
Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...
, and
cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...
to give dishes an extra kick of aroma and enhancement of taste. Many routinely consumed dishes in Macau belong to a subclass (
Heungshan
Xiangshan County, also spelled Hsiangshan, Siangshan, Heungsan, and Heungshan, was a former county in Southern China. Since 1912, it was a county in Kwangtung Province ("Guangdong"), in the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China. It wa ...
) of Cantonese cuisine. Many Macanese dishes resulted from the spice blends that the wives of Portuguese sailors used in an attempt to replicate European dishes with local Chinese ingredients and seasonings.
Typically, Macanese food is seasoned with various spices including
turmeric
Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asi ...
,
coconut milk
Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...
, and
cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...
, and dried cod (''
bacalhau
() is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Fresh (unsalted) cod is referred to as (fresh cod).
Portuguese and other cuisines
dishes are common in Portugal, and also in former Portuguese colonies ...
''), giving special aromas and tastes. Popular dishes include ''
galinha à Portuguesa
Portuguese chicken ( zh, t=葡國雞, s=葡国鸡, first=t), also known as Portuguese-style chicken or galinha à portuguesa () is a dish found in Macanese cuisine.
Despite its name, Portuguese chicken did not originate from Portugal, but from it ...
'', ''
galinha à Africana'' (African chicken), ''
bacalhau
() is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Fresh (unsalted) cod is referred to as (fresh cod).
Portuguese and other cuisines
dishes are common in Portugal, and also in former Portuguese colonies ...
'' (traditional Portuguese salt cod), ''
pato de cabidela'', Macanese chili shrimps, ''
minchi'',
stir-fried curry crab; pig's ear and papaya salad, and rabbit stewed in wine, cinnamon and star anise.
''Cha Gordo'' (literally "Fat Tea"
) is a culinary tradition amongst the
Macanese community in
Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...
that is likened to
afternoon tea
Tea (in reference to food, rather than the drink) has long been used as an umbrella term for several different meals. English writer Isabella Beeton, whose books on home economics were widely read in the 19th century, describes meals of var ...
.
[ Historically, families with Portuguese heritage in Macau would host a ''Cha Gordo'' for a number of occasions, including ]Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
holidays, christening, or birthdays, but they can be held for any reason. Historically, some families would even host one on a weekly basis.[ A ''Cha Gordo'' would take place following a Macanese ]wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
, instead of the elaborate banquet
A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes i ...
seen in Chinese weddings.
Macanese dishes and desserts
Non-Macanese Macau snacks
See also
* Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese or Guangdong cuisine, also known as Yue cuisine ( or ) is the cuisine of Guangdong province of China, particularly the provincial capital Guangzhou, and the surrounding regions in the Pearl River Delta including Hong Kong and Maca ...
* History of Macau
Macau is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. In 1557 it was leased to Portugal as a trading post in exchange for a symbolic annual rent of 500 tael in order to stay in Macau, it remained under Chinese ...
* Hong Kong cuisine
Hong Kong cuisine is mainly influenced by Cantonese cuisine, European cuisines (especially British cuisine) and non-Cantonese Chinese cuisines (especially Hakka, Teochew, Hokkien and Shanghainese), as well as Japanese, Korean and Southeast As ...
* List of Chinese dishes
This is a list of Chinese dishes in Chinese cuisine.
Dishes by ingredient
Grain-based dishes
Noodles
Rice
Pork-based dishes
Poultry-based dishes
Vegetable-based dishes
Dishes by cooking method
Dumplings
Pastry
Soups, stews an ...
Select bibliography
* Ferreira Lamas, João António (1995). ''A culinária dos macaenses''. Oporto: Lello & Irmão.
* Gomes, Maria Margarida (1984). ''A cozinha macaense''. Macau: Imprensa Nacional.
* Senna, Maria Celestina de Mello e (1998). ''Cozinha de Macau''. Lisbon: Vega
References
External links
A Guide to Macanese Food: What happens when China, Portugal, and Las Vegas come together.
Some Macau dishes, incarnating Portuguese influences
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macanese Cuisine
Cantonese cuisine
Chinese cuisine
East Asian cuisine