The Chinese version of sushi is a great way to start the day

The dish: Fantuan, China

Plate up You may have followed, a year or so ago, the controversy when an Australian expat opened a shop in New York specialising in affordable “Australian-style” sushi. What horror is this, some asked? What cultural appropriation is Australian sushi? Of course, we at home were immediately familiar with the product: unsliced rolls of sushi rice and nori, filled with the likes of spicy tuna and teriyaki chicken. You can buy this stuff at every shopping mall in the country. It’s Australian-style sushi. Only… it might not be entirely unique. As proof, we present fantuan.

Franchise Fantuan Thailand specialise in both traditional and non-traditional versions of the sushi-like dish.Credit: Fantuan Thailand

This is a Chinese dish, a staple in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan. To make it, youtiao – a fried stick of dough – is paired with pork floss and pickled vegetables, and wrapped tight in glutinous rice. The result is a cylinder of savoury goodness, which may sound familiar. The key difference with Australian-style sushi, however, is that fantuan must be eaten hot, to keep the sticky rice supple. This is also a breakfast dish, and you would have to agree, one sensational way to start the day.

First serve The name here is an easy one: in Mandarin, fantuan means “rice parcel” – does what it says on the tin. The history of fantuan is also relatively straightforward. The dish emerged in Jiangnan – the Chinese region that takes in the city of Shanghai – where it’s also called ci fan. During the 20th century, migrants to Taiwan popularised the dish there, and fantuan has since taken on a life of its own, particularly in Taipei, where fillings can include boiled egg, bacon, minced pork, kimchi, cheese and more.

Order there For the best range of affordable, classic breakfast staples in Taipei, head to Liu Mama Fantuan in the Zhongzheng district (no website).

Order here In Sydney, get your hit of Taiwanese cuisine, including fantuan, at Mother Chu’s Taiwanese Gourmet in Haymarket (instagram.com/mychumama). In Melbourne, fan tuan is more difficult to get your hands on, though you can sample excellent Taiwanese cuisine at Mr Huang Jin (mrhuangjindumplings.com).

One more thing Good luck Googling “fantuan” to find the nearest purveyor in your city: you will quickly discover that this isn’t just a foodstuff, but the name of a popular food delivery platform, specialising in Asian cuisines.