Monday, 27 January 2025
Discovering the Plant Wisdom and Fermentation Culture of Taiwan’s Indigenous Amis People
Taiwan’s indigenous communities possess a rich knowledge of plants and fermentation that reflects their harmonious coexistence with nature.
On a recent trip, we visited an Amis village, guided by professors and students from Pingtung University of Science, along with a team from Japan’s leading Koji-maker. This journey opened a window into the incredible food culture and plant wisdom of the Amis people, blending ancient traditions with insights from modern science.
A Table Rich with Fermentation
The Amis people’s food culture is a paradise of fermentation. Their dining tables are filled with unique creations like matured pork sushi, pickled fish roe, salted pork offal, and fermented fish eggs. These dishes seamlessly combine the bounty of the sea and the mountains, offering a distinctive culinary experience.
Interestingly, the fermentation of meat and fish was also recorded in Japan’s Engishiki from the Heian period. It described “meat miso” (nikusho) and “fish miso” (gyosho), which have largely disappeared from Japanese cuisine. However, these traditions are still alive in the Amis villages, where wild boar meat is freshly prepared into a fermented paste or cured with salt, creating flavors rooted in sustainability and heritage.
Wild Plants and fermentation
One of the most striking aspects of the Amis culture is their deep understanding of wild plants. According to Wu Xueyue, principal of the Indigenous Vegetable School in Hualien and author of Vegetarian Doctrine, the Amis recognize over 200 types of wild plants, with more than 100 making regular appearances on their tables.
During my visit to the Indigenous Vegetable School, just a short walk from Hualien Station, I was amazed by their thriving garden of wild plants. Visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the garden. This hands-on experience highlighted the sheer diversity of wild plants used in their daily cooking, from herbs with medicinal properties to flavorful greens.
Nourishing Alcohol: Herb-Infused Rice Malt Wine
The Amis also good at creating unique fermented beverages. Their rice malt wine is crafted using 12 different types of plants, each selected for its medicinal benefits, aroma, and preservative properties. Unlike herbal tinctures, where plants are soaked in alcohol, the Amis incorporate these plants directly into the fermentation process, making the plants an integral part of the alcohol itself.
The result is a nourishing, health-boosting wine that combines the benefits of natural fermentation with plant-based medicine. This innovative approach to fermentation reflects the Amis people’s ability to blend practical knowledge with cultural traditions.
Wild Cooking Techniques
The Amis people’s cooking methods are as fascinating as their ingredients. One standout technique involves heating stones until they’re red-hot and then placing them into a bowl of soup made with wild herbs, served in a betel nut leaf bowl. The sizzle of the hot stones creates a fantastic display, releasing aromatic flavors into the soup and adding a wild, earthy touch to the meal.
Their resourcefulness extends to fishing methods as well, using plant-based toxins to stun fish and intricately woven bamboo nets to catch them—a perfect example of sustainable living that respects natural ecosystems.
Bringing Indigenous Knowledge to Japan
Inspired by these experiences, we’re organizing a fermentation camp in Nagano at the end of August. The goal is to recreate Amis-style fermented foods using Japanese wild plants. By understanding why the Amis chose specific plants for fermentation, we hope to adapt these techniques to local ingredients.
In addition, our ethnobotanical food workshops this month will feature recipes inspired by the Amis village. The menu includes:
• Taroko Tribe’s Wild Millet Porridge
• Amis-Style Stir-Fried Matured Pork Sushi
• Stone-Grilled Seafood Hotpot
• Paiwan Tribe’s Pork Millet Dumplings
• Amis Rice Malt Wine (Herb Koji)
• Seaweed Salad with Koregusu and Lime
These dishes will showcase rare fermentation ingredients brought back from Taiwan, along with easy-to-find alternatives for home cooking.