Five must-try snacks in China

By APD writer Yang Siyao

A gust of bitter wind rattles the window. You sit in the chill of the evening, staring out over the city below. It is 10 o’clock, you’re getting ready for bed, but you feel your stomach rumbling. Thus, you decide to order takeouts. All kinds of barbecue, stinky bean curd and spicy crayfish dominate the menu.

You are dazzled by late-night snacks on the menu. You have to make a choice among tempting foods as below.

1. Spicy Crayfish

Spicy crayfish is well known for its tender meat. The reason of its popularity lies in Happy Camp – a famous Chinese TV show. The comperes of Happy Camp ate spicy crayfish when knocked off. Once they fed the audience with the spicy crayfish on the show. Thus, spicy crayfish has taken China by a storm in recent years. Cities all over the country go gaga over it.

**2.

Spicy Hot Pot**

As the name suggested, spicy hot pot is known for its appetite for spicy food. You can add whatever you want into spicy soup, such as thin sliced meat, shredded kelp and various vegetables, and then dip them into a special sauce before eating. Winter is the best season of spicy hot pot. This mouth-burning and tongue-numbing food will make you warm in a short time.

**3.

Shish Kebab**

The Shish Kebab originates from northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is pieces of meat, mostly from lamb, cow or chicken, grilled on a skewer. The chef starts with the marinade which tenderizes and moistens the meat, and then roasts the meat over an open fire. In the end, the chef adds a little bit of salt and cumin powder. A smell of freshly Shish Kebab makes our mouth watery.

**4.

Stinky Tofu (Bean Curd)**

Stinky Tofu isn’t smelly. Actually, it tastes great! It is normally eaten in Changsha. The surface of the stinky Tofu is black and crisp as fermented it is deep-fried. Then the chef puts proper chili powder on top of the Tofu with some corianders.

**5.

Baked Sweet Potato**

As a healthy snack in China, golden and fluffy baked sweet potato contains dietary fiber which is good for digestive. It is a very delightful experience to eat baked sweet potato in the cold winter.

Have you made a choice?

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)