Macanese cuisine


Macau cuisine consists of a mosaic of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines, and fusion cuisine with significant influences from Southeast Asia and the Lusophone world. Although many routinely consumed dishes in Macau belong to a subclass of Cantonese cuisine, a reowned distinct cuisine called Macanese cuisine is unique to Macau. Many unique Macanese dishes resulted from the spice blends that the wives of Portuguese sailors used in an attempt to replicate European dishes. Besides local Chinese ingredients, ingredients and seasonings of Macanese dishes also include those from Europe, Latin America, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Genuine Portuguese and Spanish cuisine can also be found in Macau.
Common cooking techniques include baking, grilling and roasting. The former, seldom seen in other styles of Chinese cooking, exemplifies the eclectic nature of Macanese cooking. Macau is renowned for its flavour-blending culture, and modern Macanese cuisine may be considered a type of fusion cuisine.
Typically, Macanese food is seasoned with various spices including turmeric, coconut milk, and cinnamon, and dried cod, giving special aromas and tastes. Famous dishes include galinha à Portuguesa, galinha à Africana, bacalhau, pato de cabidela, Macanese chili shrimps, minchi, and stir-fried curry crab. Other dishes include pig's ear and papaya salad, and rabbit stewed in wine, cinnamon and star anise. Tapas are also an integral part of Macanese cuisine.
The most popular dessert is pastéis de nata. The most popular desserts/snacks like ginger milk, pork chop bun, and almond cake are generally considered Macau cuisine rather than Macanese cuisine because they are either originated from Zhongshan and Zhuhai or considered not exotic/Portuguese enough.
Famous restaurants of Macau include the Restaurante Riqueixo, Porto Interior, Restaurante Litoral, Restaurante Espao and Restaurante O Santos.

Macanese dishes and desserts

Some non-Macanese Macau snacks

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