One of my favorite places to go is the traditional night market. You can get all kinds of cheap and tasty snacks there. Here are some you can’t miss:

1. Egg Cakes

Egg cake is a kind of snack made by flour and eggs. The vendor will pour all the ingredients into a mold until the egg cake hardens. Egg cakes are very yummy especially when the middle is empty and the shape is hard. There are all kinds of egg cakes in different shapes, such as cartoon characters. They are a favorite of kids.

2. Douhua

Douhua

Douhua is a soft and sweet snack that’s made out of soy beans. We usually eat it with peanuts or other ingredients to make it even better. I would say it is the best snack to have during summertime; people feel refreshed when they finish their Douhua, one bite after another.

3. Fried chicken patties

Fried chicken patties (jipai) is one of the most popular snacks in Taiwan. Not only do kids like them, I believe everyone on Earth would enjoy eating it. I like to eat them when they are still hot because it’s crunchy and delicious. When it gets cold, the outside turns soft and the fried chicken patties no longer taste as good. But please remember not to eat chicken patties too often, or you may get fat easily, since they aren’t very healthy.

4. Bubble Milk Tea

Delicious bubble milk tea at the night market – photo by Nandaro

Besides just food, the drinks from night markets are very famous too. One of Taiwan’s greatest “inventions” is Bubble Milk Tea. Bubble Milk Tea doesn’t really have bubbles in it, it’s actually a hard jelly that’s black and round. The drink is very sweet, and with the “bubbles” inside, the drink becomes very chewy.

5. Cotton candy

Cotton candy is a cute snack because it looks like the clouds in the sky. It is made by heating and spinning sugar with a special machine. It is very cheap, since it’s only made out of sugar. When you put the cotton candy in your mouth, it melts immediately. It has a unique flavor.

6. Stinky Tofu

Stinky tofu is everyone’s favorite – photo by Fcuk1203

Although people might think Stinky Tofu would taste disgusting because of its name, in fact, it is very delicious. Stinky Tofu is a special snack in Taiwan that’s a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. We usually eat it with kimchi, and the more it smells, the better it tastes.

The traditional night market is an important part of Taiwanese culture. Next time when you are having a hard time deciding where to go, the night market would be a good choice!