The dish is coffin-shaped with a slice of crispy toast about 5 cm thick, hollowed out in the middle and covered with a lid on top.
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| In the past, when Taipei was not the capital of Taiwan, the southern city - Tainan was considered the administrative, political and economic center of this island nation. People flocked here to do business, making the city increasingly prosperous. Thanks to that, Tainan has an outstanding diversity in culture, especially cuisine. Many dishes have become specialties that attract tourists such as braised noodles in meat sauce, stewed noodles with duck meat, pan-fried oysters and especially the unique coffin bread. Photo: bentonions. |
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| Coffin bread was created in 1940 by a chef named Hsu. He initially called this bread “Shakaliba”, which is the Japanese pronunciation of “entertainment center” because Tainan has always been a place where people come to relax and gather. Photo: Lataco. |
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| However, because the shape of the bread resembled a coffin, it was later renamed “Gua Cai Ban”, which means “coffin” in Taiwanese. With its unusual name and unique flavor, the dish quickly spread throughout Taiwan, especially in the night market area. Later, many people changed the way they called the bread, but the name “coffin” was deeply ingrained in the minds of diners, so it returned to its original name. Photo: Sakaratrina. |
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| Traditional coffin bread is essentially a slice of crispy toast about 3-5 cm thick, hollowed out in the middle and covered with a lid. The filling inside is a mixture of potatoes, diced carrots, green beans, pork liver, meat, shrimp and some other aromatic vegetables, creating a smooth mixture with an irresistible flavor. Photo: Lataco. |
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| Nowadays, to give diners more choices, many new fillings have been created such as beef sauce and mushrooms, seafood, making the dish more and more diverse. Some people even turn coffin bread into a Hawaiian version with smoked meat, onions and pineapple. In addition, visitors with a sweet tooth can choose for themselves a sweet version of coffin bread with a combination of fruits such as bananas, strawberries, mangoes, peaches... Photo: butterfringers. |
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| Coffin bread is always on the list of the most famous and favorite street foods in Taiwan. Visitors can find it everywhere across the country, from luxury restaurants to cheap eateries. However, choosing a night market as a stop will bring a more interesting experience. Photo: 365dining. |
According to VNE
