Skewered and Grilled

 It's curious to think that something invented by medieval Persian knights cooking chunks of sword-skewered meat over open fires has become a popular snack enjoyed all over the world.

Kebab, which may have been invented by the Mongolians, traveled to China from nomadic Turkic tribes to Uighurs in Xinjiang, and today can even be found at night-markets in Taiwan.

One vendor we visited had a sign claiming “Authentic Xinjiang Flavor,” and even had a picture of a chef at work—probably his manager—who was a bald Turkish-looking Chinese man with a moustache. We were given very generous portions of lamb, most likely imported from Australia or New Zealand. The chunks of meat were sprinkled with cumin and were much bigger and juicier than those from street-vendors in New York’s Chinatown.

You can find grilled squid almost everywhere in a Taiwanese night market.

Squid

I don't know about other people, but East Asians love to eat their squid whole, though it might look a little scary. Squid is an excellent source of protein and having the whole thing on a skewer facilitates eating and walking at the same time… reducing the time needed to reach the next food stall.

Corn on the Cob

I know this corn is fresh because the sign says so: “Harvested on the same day and cooked fresh as you order.” The corn is actually boiled first before each cob is put on a self-turning grill to achieve the slightly burned, crispy coat. After a sprinkling of sesame, you can choose between a variety of flavors, including but not limited to: coconut, seaweed, satay, and BBQ.

Cricket

This is the only thing I didn't try… not because I was too faint-hearted or anything, of course not… but because I had two bags of food in one hand and a bubble tea in another. However, I'm sure Korean beondegi addicts would not hesitate a moment to try this. And why wouldn't they—cricket is “high in calcium, high in protein, and beautifies facial skin,” so I’m told.

A fellow dancer who grew up in Taiwan told me that he once saw a cooking show on TV explaining how to fry cockroaches, and why red cockroaches taste better than black ones…