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Macanese Cuisine
Macanese cuisine is cooked with many ingredients that recall the unique history of Macao and its Portuguese maritime culture. During the 16th and 17th Century, 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 exotic 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 and cooking styles were gradually incorporated into traditional Portuguese dishes cooked by Macanese families over the past centuries.
Based on Portuguese cuisine, these spices and ingredients from Africa, Southeast Asia and India - including curry, coconut milk, cloves and cinnamon - are combined using Chinese culinary skills in a wonderful potpourri of tastes and aromas, giving birth to the uniquely delicious Macanese cuisine of today. Signature dishes most famously include “Galinha à Africana” (African chicken) and Macanese Chilli Shrimps. Macanese Gastronomy was inscribed on the Macao Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2012.
Chinese Cuisine
Macao features a wide variety of food from most Mainland provinces. Peking duck is the highlight of Peking cuisine, while steamed buns with minced pork filling, wontons and freshwater hairy crabs are renowned Shanghainese dishes. Lovers of spicy food can also enjoy signature Sichuan soups and hotpots in Macao.
When it comes to ‘Yum Cha’ (literally ‘drink tea’) devotees are spoilt for choice, with many hotels and restaurants in Macao serving a cornucopia of ‘Dim Sum’ specialties such as ‘Har Gau’ (steamed dumplings stuffed with shrimp), ‘Shiu Mai’ (steamed dumplings stuffed with pork and shrimp) and Tsun Guen (Fried rolls of shrimp and vegetables). Other famous Guangdong dishes include roasted meats