China

I love China almost as much as I love the US. That’s where all my relatives are, and dumplings, and red packets! I’ve only been to two or three cities in China, since all my family live near the capitol, Beijing. But I have to say, it’s like my home away from home. There are so many cool things to do all over China, but for today, I’ll just focus on Beijing.

Beijing is a bustling metropolis. Though the air quality isn’t the best, the food certainly makes up for it. At Beijing, there are so many food options from all over China, and even an occasional McDonald’s or KFC.

松鼠桂鱼 – Squirrel Mandarin Fish

Ok, ok. This dish DOES NOT have squirrels in it. Trust me. It’s like sweet and sour chicken, but with a whole fish. A fish is first rid of its scales, then its meat is chopped up into little squares that stick out of either side of the fish. The fish is then completely covered in eggs and then, when it’s fried, makes a high popping sound that is similar to that of a squirrel’s. Then it is covered in delicious sweet and sour sauce.

北京烤鸭 – Peking Duck

This one is really commonly found in Chinatowns across the US. The duck is baked until golden brown, having all the freshness of he herbs seep in to the meat before baking. They use sugar water and pour it all over the duck after all its insides have been removed. Then they hang the duck in a cool, ventilated place, so the duck skin gets dry, and it usually hangs for hours. They then put different types of wood into the oven, and roast it, after pouring boiling water into the pan in which they roast it. After baking, the duck is brushed with some sesame oil to increase the golden-brown color of the duck skin. They cut the meat into little flat disks, and usually eat it with sweet soy bean paste, scallions, and a white bun. Or they just eat the meat alone.

Lastly, there is a dessert that’s usually eaten on 元宵节, the Lantern Festival. It’s called 汤圆, or tangyuan. They are little balls made out of sweet glutinous rice flour, and usually filled with black sesame filling, and then boiled. They can be eaten for breakfast or for dessert, and they usually come with a sugary “soup”. Really good. You can also find them with different colors and all kinds of other fillings, from sesame filling, all the way to peanut butter. They are best eaten when warm, and enjoyed with the soup as well. Just be careful! Don’t let the filling ooze out unexpectedly! (I learned that the hard way…)

Thanks for letting me share a little piece of my heritage culture! Bye!