The charm of Chinese cuisine is not only in the classic dishes with full color, flavor and flavor, but also in those "wonderful" dishes that look bizarre at first glance and are amazing to taste. These dishes either taste unexpected, or they look like people are shy away, but they can stand firm in the long river of history, relying on real kung fu. They do not rely on curiosity to catch the eyeballs, but with their unique flavor and cultural heritage, they have conquered the stomachs of generations after generations. For example, the stinky mandarin fish that can smoke away neighbors but makes people want to stop, or the pot dishes that look like "muddy rice" but are so fragrant that people lick the plate, these "weird coffees" use their strength to prove: delicious is the last word.
The humid heat in the south gave birth to the strange aroma of fermentation, the bitter cold in the north sharpened the rough creativity, and the land of Sichuan and Chongqing played the "strange" tricks. The raw materials of these dishes are mostly ordinary things, such as chicken, duck, fish, tofu and vegetables, but they are given a soul in cooking. It has been said that Chinese chefs are born alchemists who can turn humble ingredients into legends on the tip of their tongue. Their methods are not necessarily complicated, but the heat, seasoning, and collocation, every step has hidden mysteries, and only those who have eaten understand that behind the "strange taste" is the love and wisdom of life.
These amazing dishes are famous all over the world because they carry stories and emotions. Some originated from the helplessness of poor people, some came from the whims of famous chefs, and some even became classics by mistake. They don't cater to popular tastes, but they are in a class of their own and have become the calling card of local culture. The taste may be frowned upon and the appearance may not be elegant, but once you taste it, you can understand why some people are obsessed with it. Next, let's take stock of China's top ten "strange dishes" to see how "fragrant" these weird heavenly groups are!
Stinky squid
Anhui famous dish stinky mandarin fish, legend has it that a fish in the Qing Dynasty trafficked fish on the way to spoil in the hot weather, salted to cover the smell, did not expect to fry out the strange fragrance. Fresh mandarin fish marinated for several days, emitting a strong smell, stir-fry in the pot with green onions, ginger and garlic, the finished fish meat is firm, stinky and fragrant. It tastes like a copy of stinky tofu, smoked first and then fresh, with an endless aftertaste.
Mao Xuewang
Chongqing Mao Xuewang started as a street vendor, and was originally a miscellaneous patchwork of poor people with sewerage. Mix and match duck blood, hairy tripe, and pig blood, boil into spicy red soup, and sprinkle with peppercorns and chili peppers. Served with a piece of blood red, the appearance is scary, the taste is spicy and enjoyable, and the tongue is so hot that it dances.
Pot dishes
Hubei Guoba cuisine is said to be the late Qing Dynasty shipwright cooking rice paste pot, simply fried and eaten, accidentally became delicious. Fry the rice into a golden pan, pour the minced meat sauce and sprinkle with chopped green onions. The outside is charred and the inside is tender, the sauce is fragrant, and it is like "muddy rice" and turned into a nobleman.
Fried frogs
Originating from the rural hunting tradition, the fried frog is a roasted garlic chili pepper after the skin is peeled, and the meat is as tender as shredded chicken. It looks black and burnt, it tastes spicy and springy, and the strange taste reveals wild fun, which makes people can't help but chew a few more bites.
Bean juice
Beijing bean juice is the "leftover soup" after the fermentation of mung beans, and the sour taste is found to be unique when the Ming Dynasty sells leftovers. After boiling, it is gray and green, like swill, and it is drunk with a coke ring, which is sour and astringent, and it is addicted to drinking it, which can be called "liquid version of stinky socks".
黴千張
Zhejiang mold thousand zhang is the product of the moldy tofu skin, according to legend, a farmer's inventory in the Southern Song Dynasty was moldy, fried and eaten into a good wonton. Thousands of pieces grow gray-green mold spots, fried garlic seedlings or shredded meat, and the moldy fragrance is tangy. The musty taste is strong, but the chewing is fresh and tender, which is so strange that it makes people get up.
Eggs scrambled with stinky tofu
Hunan street food egg scrambled stinky tofu originated from the creative collocation of folk vendors. Stinky tofu is cut into pieces and fried with eggs, and chili soy sauce is added, and the finished product is black and yellow, and the smell is sky-high. It tastes crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, stinky and fragrant, and spicy to the point of being addictive.
Snail mantis powder
Guangxi snail noodles rise due to the Liuzhou night market, snail soup with rice noodles, add sour bamboo shoots, yuba, the smell can float half a street. The soup base is sour and spicy and fragrant, the vermicelli is smooth, and the mouth is full of fragrance after eating, and it stinks so much that people lick the bowl while scolding.
Stir-fried pork belly
Fujian fried pig intestine is an invention of fishermen using fruit belly, cleaning and stir-frying garlic and soy sauce. The appearance is greasy and black, the smell is strong, it tastes crisp and tender, the sauce covers the fishy smell, and the strange smell hides the roughness of the seaside.
Porridge with preserved eggs and lean pork
Preserved egg and lean porridge is said to have started in the Ming Dynasty, when a cook in Guangdong cooked porridge with spoiled duck eggs, which unexpectedly became a classic. Preserved eggs are chopped and lean meat is boiled into rice porridge, and the color is gray and dark like "dirty water". The entrance is salty, fragrant, soft and glutinous, and the preserved egg has a unique taste, which warms the stomach and satisfies after eating.
These strange dishes may not be in everyone's eyes, but they prove the tolerance and creativity of Chinese cuisine with their strange tastes. No matter how strange the taste is, no matter how strange the appearance is, as long as you do it with your heart and dare to try, you can become a legend on the tip of your tongue. Why not find a weekend, meet up with three or five friends, and try these "weird coffees". Don't be afraid of stinky and ugly, be brave enough to taste it, maybe you will find that life is like these dishes, a little weird, it is more interesting.