Food in China: 4 Backpacker Friendly Delicacies
Travellers are always concerned with adventure and action: mountain hiking, biking, walking, sightseeing… all of these activities are great, but what about food? I mean, how can you keep on adventuring when you do not eat well? In my travels, food was the second concern, after adventure, among all the fellow backpackers and adventurers I met. And luckily for the intrepid soul who decides to venture the wilds of China, food is generally widespread, cheap, nutritious and delicious. I have a few picks between the best street foods I ever tasted during my travels in the Middle Kingdom I want to share for the sake and knowledge of adventurers the world over…
1- Di San Xian
Absolutely the best of the lot, the most delicious and sought after, I have been dreaming of this dish during my travels in the Chinese South where cooks, when asked about it, would just stop, smile and repeat in a dreamy expression “Di san xian!!”. But as long as you are in Beijing, or in the greater Northern area, this delicious mix of potatoes, eggplant and green peppers will win you over. It’s so good, and yes, it fills you up for yet another afternoon of frantic hiking. You can generally find it in any of the cheap and family restaurants, more difficult to get at a street stall, but always worth asking.
2- Noodles (面) Pretty much available anywhere, from the most torn down street stall to the best restaurant and especially useful on trains in the boxed “instant” variety, noodles are the flesh and blood of food in China. I particularly like the fresher variations you can easily find in many street stalls, especially when they are freshly handmade on the spot. A few scoops of boiling hot water, some coriander and occasionally a touch of beef would make you full and warm you up during those long waits at bus stops and train stations all over China, when the winter is at its most freezing… in the summer, you can always find them anywhere, too!
3- Mutton Skewers
God bless the pilgrims from Xinjiang for having set up stalls everywhere and selling these amazing mutton, goat and beef barbequed skewers. They are cheap, tasty and together with some Arab white flat bread constitute the base of Xinjiangnese cuisine. Luckily for the hungry backpacker, they are available in most major towns, are truly inexpensive, and would make you drool… it is well known how much westerners can love meat, and in a place like China where the concept of a simple steak is not very well accepted, the Uyghurs are coming to the rescue. The Muslim quarter in Xi’an is one of those places where you can indulge in such a guilty travel pleasure…and even some back alleys in central Beijing.
4- Chinese Bread Pancakes not to be mistaken with the sweet Hokkien pancakes widely available in Southern China and Malaysia, these are more fried, and resemble western focaccia or pancakes. Usually they are sold at the side of the road, in different styles and fashions, and can come plain or topped with cabbage, vegetables or sliced meat. It is truly inexpensive and, although not very healthy if eaten on a daily basis, is a perfect snack for the penny-saving backpacker. Good for vegetarians as well, the vegetable version is definitely best if served with some soy sauce or white carrot. It is also very nice to see how they are baked, and how they get their gracious yellow color after simmering in the wok for a few minutes!!
Ok, I just gave you the first and best four, the ones which saved me from starvation on the road so many times, and the most easy to come across. Chinese streets virtually offer anything you want to eat, but be careful, sometimes it pays to double check how the food is being cooked!! I’ll come back with more food suggestions in the next few weeks… meanwhile, keep on travelling and eating off the street!!
