Macau About 400 years, in Guangdong (Canton), appeared a group of foreigners, the Portuguese, whose arrival has changed unexpectedly the landscape of this small village, which was at the time almost unknown in China. Since then, he started his extraordinary story
Portuguese
is an official language in Macau and is an indispensable aspect of Macao
culture. The Macau government’s official documents are written in Portuguese
and in any street, we can see signposts stuck, signs, billboards, etc. written
in Portuguese.
When the
Portuguese officially remain in Macau, the transformation of the territory
becomes something inevitable. The Portuguese, living in Macau, sought a quality
and style of life like they had in Portugal. They tried to build a Portuguese
world in that piece of land. Started with the construction of permanent
buildings. The architecture in Macau is divided into two styles: Chinese and
European.
We cannot
speak of a typically Portuguese style because the buildings are not fully
traditional Portuguese style, but rather European.
Portugal is a mainly Catholic
country. Catholicism is the first introduction of western religion in Macau. In
this small territory are located dozens of Catholic churches. It can be said
that Macau is a city of churches. There is no doubt that the Catholic faith in
Macau is the heritage of Portugal, as with the discoveries, comes to
evangelization.
As is known there are several folk
groups in Portugal there is also a ranch in Macau. It's called Dance
Association and Portuguese Song “Macao in the Heart." Most members of this
association are Macanese with Portuguese descent.Juridical System
During the transition period of
Macao to China, the latter, as well as Portugal, had a number of issues to be
addressed to ensure the transition of the Territory effectively. One aspect was
the application of the law in the territory. The current legal, effective
system in Macau is a typical system of law of continental Europe. The set of
legal rules of Macau is based on the concept of rule of law. This system is
essentially based on the model of Portuguese law. But this system also reflects
a typical Portuguese bureaucratic process not always positive.
“Much like the city’s identity, Macanese food is a fusion, combining the
best of Chinese and Portuguese ingredients and cooking, along with exotic
influences from as far afield as Goa, Brazil and other former Portuguese
colonies.”
Rory Boland – Hong Kong/Macau Travel Expert
With the Portuguese presence in the
territory, Macau cuisine was also deeply influenced. Strong traces of revenue
rooted in the Portuguese but also Chinese or Indian tradition, making it rich
and peculiar. Essentially home cooking, there are several places in Macau where
it can be appreciated. It is called Macanese food.As part of the best traditional Portuguese
cuisine, cod dishes are essential and mandatory in all these restaurants. Among
the numerous ways of cooking, there is cod à Gomes de Sá, cod with cream or a
baked cod on the grill. For dessert you can also taste various Portuguese
cheeses.
“Macau’s food is
from Portuguese merchants or sailors who left their wives at home, got to
India, and were like, Man, I miss home. This dish reminds me of home. Then,
they found an Indian wife and said, “Can you make this dish?” and the wife
tried, and she’d have to substitute ingredients. It was all out of homesickness
and necessity.”
Abraham Conlon –
munchies.vicePortuguese landfilled in Macao in the mid-16th century. Some documents from that time record that these settlers had some difficulty in adapting to Chinese food. To solve this problem they brought from Goa and Portugal some products that where familiar to them, such as honey, eggs, vinegar, wine, olive oil, butter, cheese, milk, sugar, saffron, cinnamon, pepper, salt, sausages, spare-ribs, beef and pork, chicken and even fish.
Then Portugal energetically established a sea route to the East, paving the way for merchants engaged in the spice trade in Africa, India and the coast of Malacca, bringing, in turn, these spices and food cultures to Macao. In addition, many Portuguese married local Chinese in Macao and inhabitants from the above-mentioned regions. Thus, different foreign and Chinese ingredients plus cooking styles were gradually incorporated into traditional Portuguese dishes cooked by Macanese families over the past centuries. Concerning Chinese ingredients used in Macanese cuisine is almost impossible so we will refer just some of the main ones such as, rice, soy, ginger, mushrooms, etc.
We always have to bear in mind that due to Macao location, the Chinese influence regarding this subject is mainly from the south of China. Regarding cooking styles we have to refer some technics which are really used in Macao, the first one is frying, and if you are frying you may use different technics such as P’ao (frying in aromatized oil), Cháu (similar to P’au but using more than one ingredient), Ch’in (frying in a very hot wok), and ch’á (similar to the western frying). Other used technics are the steam cooking, boiling, braise and stew and roast. There are some utensils that are really used to cook in Macao, there are: The Wok, a length and depth pan; The Chopsticks, used to handle the ingredients during the cooking process; Clay pots and pans, for a slow cooking process; Electric rice cooker, Chopper and chop board; Bamboo baskets, used to steam cooking.
With all
these influences, Macao created a fusion cuisine based on a combination of
Portuguese and Chinese predominantly but in the mix is also Indian, Malay and
African essence.
Based on
Portuguese cuisine, these spices and ingredients from Africa, Southeast Asia
and India are combined using Chinese culinary skills in a wonderful mix of
tastes and aromas, giving birth to the uniquely delicious Macanese cuisine of
today. Nowadays Macao is a place where people take food very seriously, and
similarly to other Asian cuisine they consider cuisine as being an art form.
Macao cuisine is a balance between flavors and textures. The characteristic of
this cuisine is the fortunate blending of sweet and sour, sharp and blends, hot
and cool and sometimes even crunchy and smooth.
We have to refer the “meal” of “Chá Gordo” which is a
mix of tea and dinner, served standing, in the evening, on festive occasions.
It features a huge number of salted and sweet, hot and cold courses, and is
accompanied by water, refreshments, cup, wine and tea.
With all
these characteristics and influences Macanese cuisine is extremely rich and
unique, so unique that Macanese Gastronomy was inscribed on the Macao
Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2012.
We believe
that our research reveals all the characteristics about Macanese cuisine,
however to fully understand the essence of this cuisine we asked some friends
living in Macao what Macanese food represents to them, here are the testimonials:
“Here in
Macao they use a lot onion and garlic to do a simple braise (which is not
common in the rest of China). The food is well seasoned, with cumin, curry and
other non-local spices. Potato is not so common in China but in Macao they use
it a lot, fried or boiled. In the restaurants the most popular dishes are the
“Minchi” and the “Chu Pa Bao”, these are the icons of the Macanese food…
“Minchi” is basically a well-served dish of white rice with minced meat and a
fried egg on top. There are millions of “Minchi” recipes and in general is a
really cheap meal. “Chu Pa Bao” it is basically a pork steak on a sandwich,
like a “bifana”, but here sometimes they use a sweet bread and they eat it
during the breakfast. These two dishes are really popular in Macao, but if you
go to Hong Kong at 40km distance you will not find them! Resuming… Food here is
really good, well-seasoned, with a huge Portuguese influence. It’s cheap, fast
and we may find everywhere.” – Margarida Parreira
“I feel
that the biggest part of the food here is traditional Chinese food from the
south, like dim sum and a lot of noodles. I really love “Minchi” is so good, it
is a dish of rice, minced meat and fried egg. Street food is everywhere, and
it’s so good! Seafood buffets are also common here!”- Tomás Ramos de Deus
“Macanese
cuisine is a mix of different cuisines mainly Portuguese and Chinese but also
others that were slowly introduced by the Portuguese.” - Sergio Almeida
“Macanese
cuisine is a fusion, combining the best of Chinese and Portuguese ingredients
and cooking.” - Viviana Ao Leong
“Macanese
food is more than a type of cuisine, is a testimony of Macao history, with the
presence of Portugal and China. Due to this, Macanese food is culture. Macanese
food uses both Portuguese and Cantonese techniques, for example we use the wok
for cooking Portuguese ingredients.”- Luciano Lam
“Different foreign and Chinese ingredients plus cooking styles were gradually incorporated into traditional Portuguese dishes cooked by Macanese families over the past centuries.”
-Cecília Jorge
Macanese Cuisine results in an exquisite and unique interchange of ingredients, influences and methods of cooking between China, Portugal, India, Malaysia, and the other Portuguese-speaking African countries.
There are many food traditions combined with the original Macau dishes, which have eventually gave birth to new more exotic dishes. While there are no specific or unique preparation methods for Macau cooking, we should point out that attention to detail is important in the Macau cuisine. Using the right amount of spices for example is essential – either for spicing up the taste or for coloring the dish. The diversity of vegetables and cereals found in Macau is also noticed in the delicious dishes belonging to their cuisine. The visual attractiveness of the dish is also important, and a balance between colors and proportion differentiates. Each traditional dish has a special cooking method, which is more or less general in all of Macau’s regions.
For the most part, this cuisine is an oral tradition. One household’s recipe differs from another’s. There is no Escoffier type that has written the Macanese version of Larousse Gastronomique that can inform you on things like, this is exactly how you do it, and this is the only way to do it. There are base guidelines for specific dishes, but every family has their own variation.
Some of the most famous Macanese dishes that illustrate that influences are:
-Codfish Fried-Rice -Fat Rice - “Arroz Gordo” -“Balichão” -Codfish Chutney -Lacassá Soup -Pak Sap -Hap-Soun -Chu Pa Bao -Minchi -Okra & Shrimp Curry -Squid & Crab -Coconut Milk Custard – “Bebinca” -Sweet Bagi -Sweet Potato Cake There are other delicacies traditional from Guangdong province also known as Cantonese cuisine, which one can easily find: -Dim Sum -Shark fin soup -Noodle Soup -Glutinous Rice -Char Siu -Congee -Wonton Noodles -Roast Pig/Duck/Goose -Yangzhou Fried Rice
Macau food specialties have developed because of Macau people’s strong passion for eating over the centuries. There are many chefs who creatively use the basic ingredients and cooking method for traditional Macau dishes and create original and delicious food variations. One of the well-known Macanese traditional recipes keeper, Maria Cecília Jorge presented us with 3 of the most important and cultural-influenced dishes: -Minchi -Lacassá Soup -Coconut milk custard - “Bebinca”
Minchi
The name of this recipe derives from the English "to
mince", probably entered in Macau through the Anglo-Indian influence of
Hong Kong. There is also no predetermined recipe, since it’s a recipe passed
from generation to generation in a certain family. That’s why Macanese people
don’t find an agreement among them about the Minchi recipe.
250g mix of minced pork and beef
15 gr Jew's ear (fungus) - chopped
2 Shallots - chopped
1 Clove garlic - minced
Spring onion - chopped - to taste
2 Tablespoons of lard/oil
2 Tablespoons of light soy sauce
Potato - diced
Pepper, Salt & Sugar - to taste
2 teaspoons of cornstarch/potato starch
125g Portuguese chorizo minced (optional)
Steam Rice
1 Fried Egg
Mince the meat with sausage (optional). Season with pepper,
salt, sugar, light soy sauce and cornstarch.
Fry the minced garlic the oil until it’s golden and remove from the pan/wok. Add
the spring onions, the shallots and the meat to the pan, tossing and pressing
it to separate the meat. Cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally.
Add the Jew’s ear fungus 2 to 3 minutes before it’s done.
Finally, add the deep-fried potato cubes.
This dish is usually served with steam rice and a fried egg.
This soup is traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve, which
used to be a day of abstinence and fasting for the Catholics, because there is
no meat used in its preparation. The soup, as well as its name, derives from
Malacca.
500g Medium
size shrimps
50g Balichão (“Shrimp paste”)
1 Pack rice flour vermicelli
400g Onion chopped
1 Spring onion chopped
60ml Olive Oil
2 pcs bay leaf
Pepper & Salt q.b.
Wash and peel the shrimps, boil the shells in 5lts of water
and season shrimps with salt and some pepper.
Drain broth when shells are boiled. Scald the vermicelli.
Stir the onion, bay leaves and “balichão” in olive oil and add shrimps, broth
and finally the vermicelli in a gradual way, in order to maintain consistency
of soup.
Boil for about half an hour, adjust the seasoning.
Remove the bay leaves and sprinkle the chopped spring onions before serving.
This is one of the sweet versions of a dish designated as
“bebinca”. Obtains its characteristic flavor through the addiction coconut
milk, which is a basic ingredient in many Southeast Asian cuisines.
Mix the cornstarch with cold milk, sugar, coconut milk and
heat.
When the mixture comes to boil add the lemon grind. As soon as mixture
thickens, remove from flame, mix in egg yolks. Bring to boil in low flame for a
few minutes.
Pour into greased mold and place in oven to toast; and serve cold.
“While Macanese might suggest it’s the national cuisine of Macau, the vast majority of restaurants are Cantonese and will rarely have Macanese dishes on their menu. If you want to try the real food of Macau, you’ll need to head to one of just a few dedicated Macanese restaurants or one of the more popular Portuguese restaurants that usually offer a number of Macanese dishes.”
Abraham Conlon – munchies.vice
Portuguese people are used to go to Chinese restaurants and there are many of them in Lisbon. But Chinese restaurant with typical food from Macau is not such easy to find. There are four restaurants well known, specially because of their dim sum.
One in "Hong Kong Grande Palácio", in Avenida Almirante reis. The major clients are Portuguese but many of them belong to the Chinese community that lives in Lisbon because of their authentic food. The environment is relaxed and it's great to have a group meal where we can share the dishes and try as much as we can. Well-known chefs go there to have a quick and light meal.
Still in Lisbon we have
"Estoril Mandarim", in Casino de Estoril. Here all the cooks are Chinese
and the head Chef, Peng Kuan U, was considered in 2004 one of the best chefs of Chinese food in the world
by the "International Who's Who of Cooking". He also worked in
several five stars hotels in Macau and he try, in his dishes, to have the real
and traditional Chinese food. This is a luxury restaurant with a great service.
This restaurants is chosen to celebrate Chinese New Year’s. This restaurants is
known for the Beijing Duck, that can cost 49 euros but it feeds six persons,
and for their Dim Sum that can cost 20 euros per person.
Near of
Lisbon, in Oeiras, we can find another two great restaurants. One is "Yum
Cha Garden" where Chef Liu Yun Zhi feed many Chinese clients that find
here authentic Chinese food. At some point, we can think that we are in some Chinese
village. This chef describes his dim sum as healthy food because of the
quantity of vegetable and the way it's cooked. If you choose to eat dim sum you
can pay 25 euros per two person.
The other
restaurant in Oeiras is the "Dim Sum". Known of their great food but
also of the employer's sympathy. What is funny in this place is that we can
choose the menu surprise where the chef is the one who choose what we going to
eat. After eating all the supper we can order a dessert that seems strange but
people say that if delicious: grass jelly, made with leaves of a plant from
mint family known because it's help the digestion.
At last, Casa de Macau in Rato - Rua de São Bento, 325, Rato, Lisbon,
has unique and vast selection of Macanese & Goan snacks. Although it can’t
be considered as a dining, one can have an authentic taste of delicacies such
as, Soy Curry, Samosas, etc…, with
really affordable prices – 16€ - 2p.
Conclusion
We saw that Macau, in many aspects, is, in general, a city deeply influenced by Western culture, and in particular, the Portuguese culture. Some aspects such as the Portuguese language, architecture, religion, cuisine and the legal system. All these aspects have contributed and continue to contribute to the development of relations between China and Portugal and Portuguese-speaking countries. At the same time, facilitate communication between Macau and the rest of the world. In addition, rich local culture and society, stimulating the tourism in the territory.