If we talk about exotic dishes, of flavors, condiments and products out of the ordinary, then the Chinese cuisine is in the lead. The Chinese love to eat and they literally eat everything.
While it is true that human beings are omnivorous and that many cultures respect that "every bug that walks will end up on the spit," China is surprising. Let's see the best today exotic china dishes. Are you ready to be a little impressed?
Chinese food
In general, it must be borne in mind that China is a huge country and that has many ethnicities. There are just over 50 different ethnic groups, each with its own culture.
Yes, the vast majority of Chinese are of the Han ethnic group, more than 90%, but even so, the enormity of the country makes the ingredients of Chinese cuisine are very varied. There are four great kitchens or sets of recipes and techniques, but what draws the attention of Chinese exotic dishes are their ingredients.
Let's get to know some of its most exotic dishes.
Cold rabbit head
This plate it is quite common in Chengdu, Sichuan province, national capital of the panda. In the head of the rabbit there is not much meat and yes greasy, but without a doubt the teeth attract attention.
Rabbit head is a delicatessen and it takes time to prepare. The head is first bleached in hot water and then left to soak in a mixture of salt, wine and ginger powder for 12 hours. It is then cooked with other flavors such as hot chili, cinnamon or fennel for ten minutes or so. There is more time for the meat to absorb all the flavors.
Finally, the rabbit head is ready to be served seasoned with a little sesame oil and chili powder. Eating this piece is not easyHe and you have to be skilled, just as when you eat crab or lobster. Chengdu food tours always include this dish so if you go, feel free to try it.
There are many street vendors and small restaurants that offer this appetizer. Yes, it is not a main dish but something that is served with the drink or as a side dish.
Duck tongues and seahorses
This is eaten too in Chengdu and as they say, at least duck tongues are not ugly. Do you eat beef tongue? Then you shouldn't be impressed by the duck tongue. The shape is somewhat puzzling, or impressive, especially the base that appears to have tentacle-shaped roots.
With respect to the ma horsesr, well, here the word horse is not related to the animal. Here They are fishes so they are eaten, regardless of their form. They are usually stuck on toothpicks or dried with powder to be added to rice wine, soup or tea. What's more, are used in chinese medicine so its consumption is in high demand.
Animal penises
You can order it in Beijing and this dish is considered a delicacy of Chinese cuisine. The menu can show you penises of different sizes and of different animals. Yes, in addition to the sheep's penis, they may offer you bull, lamb and dog penis. It seems that the Chinese consider it to be good for health and that it has aphrodisiac properties.
Whiter penises are better for women and darker ones are served for men. The piece is brought with the broth in which it has been cooked or on a larger plate, distributed like appetizers. Obviously, eating penis is not so much about the taste but about the texture, since it is a cavernous body.
It seems that the flavor is very mild and that it depends a lot on the sauce in which you dip it to eat it. They say that the bull's penis is more similar to any piece of meat, although with a lot of fat flavor.
The lamb's penis looks like a tendon, long and thin and quite like a gum. And the dog penis is harder and more flavorful. You have to chew it a lot to loosen the flavor as its juices come out.
Tuna eyes
Tuna eyes they are eaten in both China and Japan. They are also considered a super tasty dish and while in some places they are eaten raw, in others it is more common to cook them. In the case of Japan, they are usually cooked with miso soup.
Cooked tuna eyes change color and are no longer transparent to become whiter and firmer. The muscles and fat around it seem to be the tastiest part of the dish. They say that they have an intense flavor but not unpleasant, similar to mussels.
Each piece of tuna eyes it is rich in Omega 3.
Chicken testicles
If you visit Hong Kong, you may find yourself on the menu of many restaurants with this dish.
They look like big white beans. Boiled or friedny interior is always soft. They are served in broth and you can order them accompanied with rice or noodles.
Scorpions
This dish is also considered a delicacy in China. They are cooked in several ways: grilled, fried, grilled or alive, if you dare. Fried scorpions are the most common. These insects have a stinger that is not removed but there is nothing to worry about. they are not poisonous if exposed to heat. Of course, its legs must be removed.
Scorpions they are not a traditional food in chinaThey are eaten in certain communities or in markets, but they are still exotic and rare.
Snake soup
This dish originated in southern China, in what is now known as Guangdong province. It has been known at least since the third millennium BC and in ancient times it was a luxury that only the rich could afford. Later, it became more popular in the XNUMXth century.
Usually eaten in Hong Kong, especially during winter, as a way to cheer yourself up. It is considered a more gourmet dish and sometimes the soup is served with the snake coiled inside the bowl, to impress. Seems to know a little saltier than chicken and that his meat is rather chewy.
The tradition of eating snake soup is ancient and the dish itself can contain, if not the entire animal, at least five different species of snakes. The meat is boiled with pork bones, chicken and spices and thus the resulting broth is very tasty. Everything boils for many hours and mushrooms, chrysanthemum leaves, ginger, lemongrass and herbs so that the broth is something sweet and spicy at the same time.
Sometimes the snake is cut into slices and as I said at the beginning, whoever eats it compares it to chicken although somewhat harder. In the streets of Hong Kong you will see restaurants that say "Snake King", in Chinese, and they usually serve other snake-based dishes such as casseroles, fried snake and others in addition to the soup.
If the idea of eating snake soup appeals to you, don't miss the opportunity, because these restaurants are in extinction since they require an experience and art that is no longer practiced so much.
Little birds and pigeons
Eating pigeons is not something that should scare us away. After all, Europeans ate pigeons until not long ago. But eating the kind of birds you usually see in the park ... is something else, isn't it?
Much more if you see them stuck on a toothpick, whole, marinated and willing to be eaten. Eating pigeons is a Cantonese delight and it is also on the menu of many restaurants in Hong Kong and other cities.
In Hong Kong they are only consumed 800 thousand pigeons a year. They are not raised like chickens so they have a different price and usually appear at banquets and family celebrations. The dove then is the main ingredient of a feast. Sometimes they are cooked on the grill or cooked in a clay pot, in broth with cinnamon and anise for 20 minutes. Strain, cool, and fry in such a way that its skin is crisp but moist.
It is also boiled, if the soup is the first dish, or the meat is removed, minced and fried with vegetables to be served later on lettuce leaves. If the pigeon or bird is cut into small pieces, the dish may bring bamboo roots, oyster sauce, chopped nuts, mushrooms, and chives to eat by hand. In reality, baby birds and pigeons are cooked in many different ways.
Estos son los de algunos exotic dishes of Chinese cuisine. Do you dare to try one?