Macanese cuisine is a fusion of Portuguese, Mediterranean, Indian, African, and Chinese influences. It developed as the Portuguese colonized Macau and different ethnic groups intermingled. Signature dishes include African chicken, custard tarts, and Portuguese-style chicken seasoned with spices from Africa and Southeast Asia. While incorporating some Chinese elements, Macanese cuisine more strongly reflects the colonial legacy through its Portuguese and Western flavors of turmeric, cinnamon, chili, and coconut. It serves as an expression of Macanese cultural identity and creolized heritage arising from East-West fusion.

1. Macau Field Trip- Post-colonial
Food and Sounvenir
112006 Kwok Chun Lok Alicia

2. Background of the Macanese food
• Mixture of Portuguese and Mediterranean cooking
with some Indian and African influence (as people
from Portugal's African colonies also came to Macau)
• As Macanese food (comida de Macau) was created
when Portuguese and Chinese influences were mixed
together with spices brought from Africa and South-
East Asia by traders
• Chinese influence was not pervasive
• Macanese cuisine is popular among the Chinese
population, and also outside Macau's boundaries, such
as in Hong Kong
("Countries and Their Culture" )
("Macau" )

3. Take a glimpse of what Macanese food
is about…
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
IZc1aSGoSw4

4. Some examples of Macanese Post-
colonial dish
African chicken

5. Custard tarts (natas)

6. Roasted meat

7. Galinha à portuguesa
(Portuguese-style chicken)

8. History behind the Colonial Dishes
• Many unique dishes resulted from the spice
blends that the wives of Portuguese sailors
used in an attempt to replicate European
dishes
• Portuguese influence is seen in the flavoring,
with plenty of turmeric, cinnamon, chili and
coconut
("Macanese Cuisine" )(Whitehead, 2013)

9. Macanese Cuisine
• Directly refers to its diverse ethnic &
geographical origins => represents the local
culinary culture
• The Macanese try to affirm the ethnic
specificity through the preparation of food,
which changes in “civilization” to a
creolisation of Portugese, Goan, Malay,
African & Chinese cuisine
(Cheng)

10. More about Macanese Cuisine
• As food is not just invested with a cultural register of
a unique form=> also reproduce cultural practices
and values that provide the Macanese community
with means of self-definition & survival
• Bringing together the East & the West, Macanese
cuisine is another word for a creole ethnic identity &
self assertion in the cultural sphere
• It reveals the internal processes of a creolising
continuum
(Cheng)

11. Which one has stronger influence?
• Most of the famous Macanese dishes are not from
Chinese cuisine
• Mainly influenced by Portuguese and the West
• Like HK, Macanese are more proud of their colonial
history than the influence of Chinese
• Detached from China

12. References:
• Countries and Their Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Macau.html
• Cheng, C. M. B. (n.d.). Cultural significance:the identity of
macau. Retrieved from
http://www.macauheritage.net/en/knowledge/vision/visio
n_053.pdf
• Macanese Cuisine. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macanese_cuisine
• Macau. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://wikitravel.org/en/Macau
• Whitehead, K. (2013, Oct 3). 10 things to know before
visiting macau. Retrieved from
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/02/travel/10-things-
macau/