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Asia is one of the most diverse continents on Earth, with 48 countries and a vast range of distinct cultures. The diversity in cultural heritages, as well as geographical features, has made this continent the promised destination for foodies around the globe.
East Asia is a particularly popular region when it comes to food. From delicious dim sum to juicy yakitori, East Asia has everything you need to enjoy a truly memorable food tour. In this article, our food experts will take you through the best East Asian snacks to enjoy with your friends and family.
East Asian Snack Cultures
Snacking is an important part of social life in most cultures in East Asia, especially in the urban population. People of all ages enjoy good snacks after their working or studying hours. Students would enjoy a snack party after hours with their friends after a lesson to relax. For office workers, no office party is completed without beverages as well as delicious snacks.
Snacks are widely available in most East Asian countries, as people can easily grab what they need from street hawkers or food stalls, both of which are common sights in these countries. Night snacks and night food hawkers together form the beating heart of traditional nightlife in East Asian Countries.
Top East Asian Snacks to Try
East Asia is full of delightful snacks for you to enjoy, but it will take years for you to fully explore the entire range of snacks these cultures have to offer. If you lack both the time and means to fully explore these cuisines, these easy-to-find Oriental snacks will be good starting points.
Bringing the Exotic Taste of Asia to Europe
The diverse cuisines of Asia offer entirely different taste palettes to Europeans, and it is our mission as Asian food experts to help you bring this exotic taste to the wider Europeans. We source authentic Asian snacks from certified partners who offer not just their passion for Asian foods but also tightly controlled production processes. With our delicious frozen Asian snacks, you will be able to enrich your menu with unique tastes that will capture the hearts of your customers.
Yakitori
Yakitori is a staple of Japanese snack culture. At every Japanese party drinking party, you will find yakitori skewers neatly placed on the plates. Yakitori is made exclusively from chicken, but chefs would make use of all parts of the chicken when making these skewers. Thus, you would find not only chicken thighs but also chicken gizzards, which offer a richer texture compared to other chicken parts.
Here’s a little fun tip if you want to eat yakitori like a true Asian: Don’t pull down the meat from the skewers. This will ruin the woody flavour extracted from the bamboo skewers.
Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are a ubiquitous fried snack that dates back thousands of years. A speciality that is commonly eaten in spring, spring rolls are a celebration of spring and the good fortune that comes with it. The origin of this widespread snack is a much-debated subject matter, but food historians generally put China as the country of origin. From China, traders travelled across East Asia and Southeast Asia, spreading this delicacy. Due to cultural differences as well as linguistic differences, spring rolls take on new names, ingredients, and even presentation wherever they go, contributing to the vast and diverse range of the dish.
Spring rolls are traditionally made from a thin pastry skin rolling around the fillings, which can be made from various ingredients, including chicken, pork, and spring vegetables. Some cultural variations exist here and there. For example, in Vietnam, spring rolls are made from rice paper instead of pastry skin.
Gyoza
Another delicacy from Japan, gyozas are delicious dumplings that are often eaten fried. Once you take a bite, the dumplings will burst instantly, revealing a harmonic symphony of flavours from within. Gyozas did not originate from Japan, but rather from China. At the end of World War II, Japanese soldiers stationed in Manchuria came home with this dish, and it became a sleeper hit in Japan, quickly capturing the hearts of the locals.
Compared to Chinese Jiaozhi, the progenitor of the dish, gyoza features a much more pronounced garlic flavour, with generally less meat. Gyozas’ skin is also thinner compared to Jiaozhi. In Japan, gyozas are a popular snack at pubs and ramen stores. Customers would order a plate of gyozas to whet their appetite while waiting for their hearty serving of ramen.
Conclusion
Snacks have been an integral part of East Asian societies for centuries, forming unique culinary cultures that offer some of the most indulgent and delicious tastes. If you wish to bring this amazing taste palette to Europe to enrich your menu, contact OrienBites now for the best Asian snacks!