Food

Knack for street snacks

By Todd Balazovic (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-04-07 08:08

Todd Balazovic offers a historic tour of Beijing street dining on a dime.

With spring sun shining once again in the capital, it's almost time to plop down on a flimsy plastic chair and dig into some good old-fashioned Beijing street food. While almost everyone knows the street food staples, from all-time favorite chuanr to typical breakfast jianbing, the city is chock-full with memorable choices to chow on.

Pea Flour Cake (wan dou huang)

Not your typical green pea concoction, pea flour cake is made from a mixture of white peas and sugar, making it a sweet springtime nibble when pea-growing season is in full swing.

A well-known imperial snack in old Beijing, it is said to have been a favorite of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Empress Dowager Cixi. Continuing an old tradition, Beihai Park is known to serve up the best in the city during its springtime temple fairs.

Rolling Donkey (lu da gun)

A massive chunk of sticky sweet dough stuffed with bean paste or brown sugar, this is a sugary staple not only for Beijing but also for much of China. It can easily be found at most snack stops throughout the capital.

The dessert gets its strange name from the last step of the cooking process which involves rolling the stuffed pastry in a yellow soybean flour, mimicking a mule rolling around in the dust.

Mungbean Milk (dou zhi)

A thirst quencher only for the most faithful old Beijing hands, mungbean milk was once a staple on imperial menus and is known for its healthy qualities.

Made of fermented mungbeans, the drink has an abundance of protein, vitamin C and fiber. Unfortunately, for those less brave souls it tastes about as good (or bad) as it sounds.

Fried Liver (chao gan)

Though far from replacing an overflowing bowl of cornflakes, fried liver has long been a breakfast basic for typical Beijingers.

Containing a good portion of liver, chao gan is actually made up mostly of pig intestine, which is mixed together in soy sauce, garlic and bone soup. Another lao beijing favorite loaded with health benefits, it's the perfect start to the day for those seeking a truly Peking lifestyle.

Quickly-Boiled Tripe (bao du)

A snack for those who can stomach some of the odder flavors the street has to offer, bao du is an essential munchie for busy Beijing businessmen.

The quick hunger fix involves taking the tripe of a sheep or cow and thin-slicing it before throwing the lot into a tub of boiling water. After a short bubbling it's taken out and dipped in sesame sauce, giving a crisp and tender delicacy.

Stir-fried Hawthorn (chao hong guo)

Another tasty tradition, chao hong guo takes the sweet-seeded red hawthorn fruit cut up into small pieces and boils them until they are soft. The mixture is then thrown in a wok with sugar and ginger before being cooled and served.

While it may be good on its own, chao hong guo is most commonly mixed in with nai lao, traditional Beijing yogurt, for a cool quenching springtime snack.

For an interactive snacking experience, check out 90 Percent Travel, which offers tours exploring some of Beijing's oldest streets while dining on ancient eats. (www.90percenttravel.com)

(China Daily 04/07/2011)