After more than 450 years of Portuguese presence in Macau, it is only obvious to expect strong Portuguese influence on the city's cullinary scene.
.
Search 30 sites at once for the best hotel deals in Macau
.
The Portuguese cuisine is characterised by rich, filling and full-flavoured dishes, and is a prime example of Mediterranean diet. The influence of Portugal's former colonial possessions is clear, especially in the wide variety of spices used. These include piri piri (small, fiery chilli peppers), as well as cinnamon, vanilla and saffron. There are also Arab and Moorish influences, especially in the south of the country. Olive oil is one of the bases of Portuguese cuisine both for cooking and flavouring meals. Garlic is widely used, as are herbs such as coriander and parsley.
.
Popular Portuguese dishes include:
Caldo Verde (Portuguese kale soup) - considered by many to be Portugal's national dish, caldo verde soup consists of thinly sliced kale, potatoes, onions, garlic and olive oil. It is almost always served with diced chouriço sausages.
Chouriço (pork sausage) - Portuguese chouriço is made with pork, fat, wine, paprika and salt. It is then stuffed into tripe (natural or artificial) and slowly dried over smoke. There are many different varieties, changing in color, shape, seasoning and taste. Many dishes of the Portuguese cuisine make use of chouriço.
|
An insight from 'Metropolasia-Man':
Bacalhau - means codfish in Portuguese, but the word almost always refers to dried, salted codfish and the dishes that are made from it. There are numerous bacalhau recipe variations, depending on region and tradition. Some say there are more than 365 ways to cook bacalhau (one for every day of the year), while others say there are 1001 ways...
Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is a casserole of cod, potatoes and onion. It originated from the northern city of Porto but became popular all over Portugal, and is considered one of Portugal's most beloved bacalhau recipes.
Bacalhau à Brás is another extremely popular bacalhau recipe. It is made from thin strips of codfish, mixed with onions and thin strips of potatoes bound by eggs.
Bacalhau com Natas (with cream), Bacalhau Assado (grilled), Bacalhau ao Vinho do Porto (with Port Wine), Bacalhau com Piri-piri (with piri-piri chilli pepers) and Bacalhau com Molho de Caril (with Curry Sauce) are also very popular.
|
.
Cookbooks and Shopping Guides of Hong Kong and Macau at good prices
.
Sardinhas assadas - grilled sardines, Portuguese style.
Caldeirada - is a seafood stew, consisting of a large variety of fish and shellfish, with potatoes, tomatos, onions and a bit of white wine and olive oil.
Cozido à portuguesa is a traditional rich stew, made from shin of beef, pork, and, in some regions, chicken, served with cabbage, carrots, turnips, Portuguese smoked sausages, rice, and potatoes.
Espetada is the portuguese version of Kebab. Large chunks of beef are rubbed in garlic and salt, skewered onto a stick with vegetables such as onions and bell peppers and left to grill over smouldering wood chips. Other meats including pork and chouriço are also commonly used, but there are also other types like those made from squid.
.
Guidebooks and maps of Hong Kong and Macau at good prices
.
A decent Portuguese meal will always be accompanied by some of Portugal's excellent wines: Be sure to order wine because in Macau it's very affordable and of excellent quality. Dão, Borba and Ribatejo are the popular red wines, while João Pires is a favourite white. The light and fresh Vinho Verde ("Green Wine") comes from the Minho region in the far north of Portugal and is particularly ideal to accompany fish and seafood dishes.
.
..................................................................................................................................
You may also want to read about...
The Macanese Cuisine
Yum Cha - "tea culture"
The Cantonese Cuisine
Szechuan (Sichuan) cuisine
Peking/Beijing (Mandarin) cuisine
Chiuchow (Teochew) cuisine
Shanghai cuisine
