10 things I love about taiwan

Chefs share the unique ingredients, traditions and dishes of their favourite locations. This month, Erchen Chang, co-founder of BAO restaurants in London, tells us what makes the food of her homeland so special

- Erchen Chang

Erchen Chang is creative director and co-creator of cult London restaurants BAO. Born in Taiwan, she moved to the UK as a teenager and now celebrates Taiwanese cuisine in her cooking, and many credit her with popularising bao in the UK. baolondon.com

1 Hot pot

I always look forward to hot pot – sitting around a table with friends with a pot of simmering broth in the middle. Food comes to the table – marbled meat slices, freshly made prawn balls, double-fried breadsticks – ready to be cooked in the broth, then dipped in your own sauce. It’s super fun.

2 Street food

Taiwan is famous for its street food culture. I have fond memories of going to the night markets with friends and family, popping out for a quick xiao chi (small eats), and making a whole night of going from one street food vendor to the next. Some of my favourites are oyster noodles, stinky tofu, Taiwanese fried chicken – there are so many choices.

3 Tea

Taiwan is famous for oolong tea, as it has the perfect growing conditions to produce exceptional quality tea. High mountain tea is delicate and delicious, and often some of the best teas are snapped up as soon as they’re released in spring or autumn. Our love of tea ranges from bubble tea to traditional tea ceremonies. I love the seriousness with which we approach tea, in order to enjoy it in every way possible.

4 Convenience stores