Macau

Macau's cuisine is the world's first fusion food, born from 400 years of Portuguese colonial rule blending with Cantonese cooking traditions. Macanese food is neither fully Portuguese nor Chinese, but something entirely unique—African spices brought via Portugal's colonies, Southeast Asian ingredients from the trading routes, and Cantonese techniques all combine in dishes like African chicken and minchi. The iconic Portuguese egg tart found perfection here, while bacalhau recipes rival Lisbon's best. This tiny territory punches far above its weight as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

Galinha à Africana

Macau's legendary African Chicken—despite its name, this dish exists nowhere in Africa. Created by Macanese cooks, it combines coconut milk, peanuts, piri-piri chilies, and spices in a rich sauce that coats grilled chicken. Every restaurant has its own secret recipe.

Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs (bone-in), 200ml coconut milk, 60g peanut butter, 30ml olive oil, 1 onion (minced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 30ml tomato paste, 15ml piri-piri sauce or hot sauce, 5ml paprika, 3ml turmeric, 2 bay leaves, Salt and pepper, Roasted peanuts for garnish.

Preparation: Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Grill or pan-fry until golden and cooked through. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, piri-piri, turmeric, and bay leaves. Cook for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and peanut butter. Whisk until smooth. Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens. Return chicken to the sauce, coating thoroughly. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve garnished with crushed roasted peanuts, with rice or crusty bread.

💡 For extra authenticity, add a splash of Portuguese vinho verde to the sauce. Some Macanese cooks also add a spoonful of shrimp paste.

Minchi

Macau's comfort food—minced meat stir-fried with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and diced potatoes, topped with a fried egg. The name likely comes from the English word "mince." Simple, satisfying, and found in every Macanese home, minchi is the ultimate late-night dish.

Ingredients: 300g ground pork or beef, 2 medium potatoes (diced small), 1 onion (diced), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 30ml soy sauce, 15ml Worcestershire sauce, 5ml sugar, 2 bay leaves, 2 eggs, Oil for frying, Salt and pepper, Steamed rice for serving.

Preparation: Heat oil to 180°C. Fry diced potatoes until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a wok or large pan, stir-fry the ground meat over high heat until browned and slightly crispy. Add onion and garlic. Continue stir-frying for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and bay leaves. Toss to combine. Fold in the fried potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Fry eggs sunny-side up in a separate pan. Serve minchi over rice, topped with the fried egg. Break the yolk and mix everything together.

💡 The secret is getting the meat slightly crispy—use high heat and don't stir too often. The caramelized bits are the best part.

Pastel de Nata Macau

The Portuguese egg tart reached perfection in Macau's famous Lord Stow's Bakery. Macanese versions often have a creamier, less caramelized top than Lisbon's pastéis de Belém, with an impossibly flaky crust. These have become one of Asia's most beloved pastries.

Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry, 150ml heavy cream, 100ml milk, 80g sugar, 3 egg yolks, 20g flour, 5ml vanilla extract, Cinnamon for dusting (optional).

Preparation: Roll puff pastry tightly into a log. Slice into 8 rounds. Press each into a tart mold, working the pastry thin on the bottom and up the sides. Heat cream, milk, and half the sugar in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar until pale. Whisk in flour. Gradually pour the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to low heat and stir until slightly thickened. Strain through a fine sieve. Add vanilla. Fill tart shells almost to the top. Bake at 230°C for 12-15 minutes until the custard is set with charred spots and the pastry is golden. Cool slightly before removing from molds. Dust with cinnamon if desired.

💡 The high heat is essential for the characteristic charred spots on top. Don't open the oven during the first 10 minutes of baking.