Fangyuan Wetland Risotto, Zhuoshui River Mama Porridge, Seediq Bale Chicken Eco New Year Dishes
(Continued from previous article) The "Taiwan Ecological Chef Project," initiated by Wu Xiujuan and Ma Aiyun, has been running for 3 years now. Last week, a grand "Ecological State Banquet" presentation was held, where the culinary works of ecological chefs from each cohort were served one by one. Among them, 3 restaurants created New Year dishes themed around the Ecological State Banquet, allowing consumers not only to feast their eyes but also to buy them and share with family at home.
The 3 sets of Ecological State Banquet New Year dishes are themed around Changhua, Yunlin, and Nantou respectively. The restaurants in charge are: Li Yiyan of No.1 Island Kitchen, Xiao Zhiyou of Shanxin Folk Creative Cuisine, and Xie Yixin and Xie Yide of Chimu TAIKO Japanese-Western Robatayaki.
Changhua State Banquet New Year Dishes: Recreating the Vibrant Life of the Fangyuan Coast
Li Yiyan, who is in charge of Changhua, took the Changhua Fangyuan coast from his course period as his theme, creating Western-style dishes including Fangyuan Seaside Risotto, Ranch Direct-Delivery Lamb Rack, and Aged Rose Duck Breast, with all ingredients sourced from Changhua.
"The inspiration for this risotto comes from the coast of Fangyuan, Changhua." Li Yiyan visited the Changhua coast multiple times during his brainstorming. He stated that Hong Xinmao of the local Caitian Farm fought back then to preserve the Fangyuan coast. "Many people complained that Kuo Kuang Petrochemical isn't coming, and job opportunities are dwindling. Brother Hong went into farming to prove that agriculture can make money and that farmland can protect the environment."
The area is famous for its red clam, and the coast also has salt fern and sea purslane. Sea purslane, which looks somewhat like rosemary, has a salty taste that intuitively evokes the waves of the coast. Both salt fern and sea purslane are sand-binding plants. Li Yiyan made salt fern and sea purslane into a green sauce, and inspired by Fangyuan's black wetlands, created a black risotto, adding red clam to give the risotto the feel of a sandy beach.
Li Yiyan carries out the spirit of an ecological chef, offering seasonal dishes of mountains, sea, and wetlands at his restaurant. He said that every time he attends an ecological chef course, although his body is tired, his spirit is enriched. Through the process, he feels that food can actually change many things, and that chefs leaving the kitchen and walking into the production area is actually recharging. "I always used local ingredients, but in the past I never thought about connecting my cooking to the local area. It was only through attending the course that I discovered I am not alone, and I feel more confident to keep going."
Yunlin State Banquet New Year Dishes: The Zhuoshui River Mama Who Nurtures the Land and Rural Villages
Xiao Zhiyou, executive chef of Shanxin Folk Creative Cuisine, who is in charge of the Yunlin State Banquet, drew inspiration from the circular agriculture crops of the Dounan Township Farmers' Association - "cattle, forage grass, carrots, rice" - to create Chinese-style dishes: "Zhuoshui River Mama," "Old Cow Eats Tender Scallions," and "Black Garlic Stewed Silkie Chicken," with all ingredients sourced from Yunlin.
The bountiful "Zhuoshui River Mama" is made with Koshihikari rice, carrots, and potatoes from the Dounan Township Farmers' Association. The main body of the dish is a large bowl of rice porridge serving ten people. Xiao Zhiyou explained: "The Zhuoshui River irrigates many farmlands and feeds many people, just like a mother feeding her children." In the rural society of the past, mothers would use "am" (pronounced similarly to "ah-mu," meaning rice water) to feed children who hadn't grown teeth yet. Therefore, rice porridge carries various seasonal vegetables to represent the land nurturing all beings.
Among all Yunlin ingredients, what impressed Xiao Zhiyou most was Yunlin black garlic - "The flavor is so intense you can't forget it." He made a soup with black garlic and local Yunlin silkie chicken, the unique flavor elevating the umami of the chicken soup to a higher level. "Old Cow Eats Tender Grass" is made with Taiwan's native beef cattle and local Yunlin scallions. "The Dounan Township Farmers' Association is amazing - from rice and vegetables to livestock products, everything is top quality. I want to keep collaborating in the future."
Shanxin Folk Creative Cuisine already uses local ingredients to make Taiwanese-style dishes. Xiao Zhiyou said that in the past, he worked in the back of the house, and customers or farmers were far away from him. After joining the ecological chef program, the interactions during the process made cooking no longer just a job. "After joining, I often ask myself: 'What can I do for farmers?'" He said that chefs shouldn't just have culinary skills, but should give back to society what they've learned. He will continue attending courses in the future, and his restaurant will continue using local ingredients, so that the cuisine can fully interpret the production area.
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