Taiwanese Meatballs

Taiwanese Meatballs 

Author: Sylvia Wu

Taiwanese Meatballs

        Pronounced ba wan in the Taiwanese Hokkein dialect, Taiwanese Meatballs is the dish which is glutinous dumpling-like ball wrapped around a fistful of minced pork, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and other ingredients. Its outer wrapper is made of tapioca flour, rice powder, potato starch, and water—which gives it a translucent and gelatinous bubble like texture. It’s served with a generous heaping of sweet chili sauce which can be a mixture of ketchup, sugar, and chili powder.

      Ba wan is one of the Taiwanese unique delicious dishes. Though it originates from the Beitou area of Taiwan and is initially sold by street vendors, now Changhua and Hsinchu are the most favorite places for Taiwanese Meatballs. Actually, the Meatballs are served in two ways—fried and steamed. Most of Meatballs in Changhua are deep-fried, while those in Hsinchu are steamed.

   

       For example, one Taiwanese Meatballs specialty shop, “A-Chang Taiwanese Meatballs” in Changhua, which is founded in 1948, has become even more famous in recent years. Compared to the Taiwanese Meatballs of other shops, those made at here are fried, and hence the outer layer radiates a golden and pristine color. It is said that the outer layer is chewy and tasty, and the stuffing inside feels neither greasy nor oily. I’ve never ate Taiwanese Meatballs there, but I really want to go there and try some.