The delay allows the meat to soften and its flavor to soak into the water of the broth.
Yes, the food is connected to the environment of Taiwan. There is not a lot of pastureland or livestock in Taiwan because it is so small. This means that the amount of meat that Taiwanese people eat, and the serving sizes of meat, are very different from the United States. As a result, they use every part of the cow, including the stomach and intestines. Often, the ingridents that are most commonly used in their food such as bocai are those that can be grown and purchased locally.
