Trying foreign cuisine can be intimidating, especially when it defies your culinary conventions. Some Chinese foods, often due to unconventional ingredients or preparation methods, have gained a notorious reputation among Americans.
Stinky Tofu
Stinky tofu is a traditional Chinese snack with a pungent odor. This notorious dish is made by fermenting tofu in a brine composed of milk, vegetables, meat, and herbs. Fermentation can last several months, resulting in an aroma often compared to rotten food or garbage.
Century Eggs
Century Eggs are made by preserving eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months. This curing process turns the yolk from dark green to grey and imbues the egg with a creamy, cheese-like texture, while the white becomes a translucent, dark brown jelly with an intense sulphuric and ammonia aroma.
Chicken Feet
Chicken feet are prominent in Chinese Dim Sum and are valued in Chinese cuisine for their unique collagen-rich texture. Often braised, steamed, or fried, chicken feet are seasoned with soy sauce, star anise, and chili.
Sea Cucumber
Sea cucumber is typically eaten in soups or stir-fries. Preparing it involves extensive cleaning and soaking to rehydrate and remove impurities since they are dried and withered. Despite its daunting appearance and cleaning process, it is a revered ingredient in festive and luxurious Chinese dishes.
Traditional Chinese Soymilk
Fresh soymilk typically has a beany flavor that contrasts sharply with the often sweetened and flavored versions in the United States. In China, soymilk is also commonly consumed as a savory beverage, accompanied by pickled vegetables, which may seem unusual to Americans more accustomed to sweet breakfast drinks.
Bitter Gourd
Bittergourd, known as “bitter melon” or “karela,” is a unique vegetable noted for its sharp, bitter flavor. It is often stir-fried, stuffed, or used in soups within Chinese cuisine. Many Americans shy away from bitter gourd because of its challenging flavor profile, which starkly contrasts the typically sweet, salty, and umami flavors Americans prefer.
Fried Cicada Pupa
Fried Cicada Pupa is a dish made from the pupae of cicadas, insects that spend most of their lives underground before emerging to molt and mate. After being harvested, the pupae are cleaned and then deep-fried until crispy. They are often seasoned with spices to enhance their naturally nutty flavor.
Turtle Soup
Turtle Soup is a traditional Chinese delicacy made from a turtle’s meat, skin, and innards, simmered with Chinese herbs and spices. It is believed to have medicinal properties for the skin and blood. However, the idea of consuming turtles is controversial and met with apprehension by those outside of Chinese culture, as turtles are often seen as exotic pets rather than food.
Shark Fin Soup
Shark Fin Soup is a dish surrounded by controversy, not just for its unique taste and texture but also for environmental and ethical reasons. This Chinese delicacy is prepared using sharks’ fins and harvested through finning. The fins are removed, and the shark is discarded into the ocean.
Roasted Pig Brain
Roasted Pig Brain is a dish that often elicits strong reactions due to its unusual main ingredient. This Chinese delicacy features seasoned and cooked pig brains, usually roasted or steamed. The brains have a creamy texture similar to soft tofu or custard and are enhanced with ingredients like sesame oil and spring onions.
Duckhead
Duckhead dishes are typical in Chinese street markets and restaurants. The heads are marinated with soy sauce, spices, and Sichuan peppercorns and then cooked until tender through deep-frying, steaming, or stewing.
Bat Soup
Bat Soup consists of a whole bat stewed in a broth with Jinhua ham, mushrooms, and herbs to extract its flavor. Bats are believed to offer health benefits and are sometimes sought for their supposed medicinal properties in traditional Chinese medicine. However, this dish is met with significant skepticism and outright revulsion in Western cultures.
Sand Worms
Sandworms are typically harvested from wet sand and mudflats and are known for their earthy flavor. They can be prepared in various ways, including stir-frying or serving them raw alongside dipping sauces. This dish may be unsettling to Americans due to the unfamiliarity and potential fear of eating worms.
Fish Mint
Fish Mint, “yu xiang cao” in Mandarin, is an herb with a distinct fishy aroma. It’s used in various Chinese salads, soups, and garnish dishes. The herb’s strong flavor complements the umami notes of many Asian recipes, but it may be seen as an acquired taste from the perspective of American palates, which do not associate minty with the flavor of fish.
Bird Nest Soup
Birds Nest Soup is among the most luxurious staples of traditional Chinese cuisine. It is prized for its health benefits and delicate flavor. The primary ingredient is the edible nest of the swiftlet bird, which constructs its nest using solidified saliva.
Scorpion Skewers
Scorpion Skewers are a unique street food delicacy in China. These skewers feature seasoned and deep-fried scorpions, sometimes alive until they become crunchy. They have a crispy exterior, a soft interior, and a flavor profile reminiscent of shellfish. For adventurous eaters, Scorpion Skewers are an exotic quick snack.
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This article was produced on Health Makes You.