Matza Greg - Chinese street food: small bites, classic recipes, and harrowing tales across the Middle Kingdom

Copyright 2018 by Howie Southworth and Greg Matza

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or .

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com .

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Southworth, Howie, author. | Matza, Greg, author.

Title: Chinese street food : small bites, classic recipes, and harrowing tales across the Middle Kingdom / Howie Southworth and Greg Matza.

Description: New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing, [2018]

Identifiers: LCCN 2018007371 | ISBN 9781510728158 (print) | ISBN 9781510728172 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Cooking, Chinese. | Street food. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.

Classification: LCC TX724.5.C5 S634 2018 | DDC 641.5951dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018007371

Cover design by Mona Lin

Cover photograph by Howie Southworth

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-2815-8

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-2817-2

Printed in China

(Steamed Barbarian Head Buns)

(Fried Pan Helmet Egg Sandwiches)

/

(Strange Flavored Chicken)

(Deep-Fried Sauce Noodles)

(Fennel Frond Garlic Chive Pancakes)

(Swallowing Clouds Soup)

(Fried Pan Helmet Beef Pastries)

(Tofu Brains)

(Spicy Sesame Pole Noodles)

(Bedspread Noodles)

(Table Slap Noodles with House Sauce)

(Sweet Water Noodles)

(Steamed Eggplant Buns)

(Steamed Pork Buns)

(Steamed Pork Dumplings)

(Steamed Cabbage Dumplings)

(Steamed Brown Sugar-Filled Triangle Buns)

(Tianjin-Style Pancake Wraps)

(Shandong-Style Pancake Wraps)

(Mushroom Rice Porridge)

(Fried Dough Sticks)

(Fried Brown Sugar Dough)

(Hand-Rolled Sausage Pancake)

(Oven Fried Cornbread)

(Pickled Vegetables on Grilled Buns)

(Garlic Chive Pancakes)

(Pan-Fried Pork Pockets)

(Cabbage Pancakes)

(Tomato and Egg Noodle Soup)

(Cured Beef)

(Beef Bone Soup)

(Baked Sandwich Buns)

(Lamb and Bread Soup)

(Grilled Lamb Skewers)

(Baked Flatbread)

(Flour-Steamed Beef)

(Grasping Rice and Lamb Pilaf)

(Boiled Dumplings in Sour Sauce)

(Steamed Soup Dumplings)

(Steamed Corned Beef Rolls)

(Watermelon Pomegranate Juice)

(Chile Oil)

(Red Oil Boiled Dumplings)

(Boiled Spicy Crayfish)

(Spicy Cured Beef Salad)

(Spicy Buckwheat Noodles)

(Sesame Millet Porridge)

(Black Pepper Beef Soup)

(Cornmeal Porridge in Sour Soup)

(Stinky Tofu)

(Green Fish Ball Soup)

(Donkey Sandwiches)

(Tea-Poached Eggs)

(Boiled Sticky Rice and Pork Dumplings)

(Boiled Sticky Rice and Red Bean Dumplings)

(Sunflower Seed Brittle)

(Fried Spicy Potatoes)

(Pan-Roasted Peanuts)

(Fried Tofu)

(Iron Skillet Tofu)

(Chicken Soup)

(Roasted Chicken)

(Baked Sesame Buns)

(Baked Mushroom Buns)

(Baked Beef Buns)

(Chicken Sandwiches)

(Baked Pickled Vegetable Beef Cakes)

(Sweet or Spicy Bread)

(Beijing-Style Yogurt)

(Steamed Rice and Beef Cups)

(Pineapple Rice)

(Flying Indian Banana Pancakes)

(Fried Mashed Potato Cheese Balls)

(Spicy Barbecued Skewers)

(Grilled Filled Chicken Wings)

(Fried Beef Meatballs)

(Roasted Oysters)

(Carrot, Celery, and Peanut Fritters)

(Beef Noodle Soup)

(Pan-Fried Buns)

(Stewed Pork Sandwiches)

(Fried Potato Cake)

(Pan-Fried Potato and Carrot Spring Rolls)

(Pot-Stickers)

(Steamed Open-Faced Dumplings)

(Fried Miscellany Rice)

(Fried Miscellany Noodles)

(Basic Roasted Pork)

(Scallion Pancakes)

(Beijing-Style Roasted Duck Breasts)

(Egg-Drop Soup)

(Peanut Candies)

(Peanut Butter Pancakes)

(Fried Sweet Dough Balls)

(Baked Sweet Potato Pastry)

/

(Black or White Sticky Rice Fritters)

(Fried Dough Twists)

(Pumpkin Fritters)

(Fried Sesame Balls)

(Fried Sweet Pea Crackers)

Chinese cuisine has a rich history dating back more than three millennia. Increasingly, those of us living outside of China are getting a clearer picture of the complexity that has developed over the duration. Thankfully, regional specialties, beyond your typical Cantonese, Sichuan, and Hunan dishes, are beginning to arrive on US shores, and a contemporary Chinese meal is no longer the egg foo yung of yesteryear. Still, one element of Chinese cookery that remains rare throughout the Western world is the most popular style of cuisine across China: street food ! Every day, nearly one-fifth of humanity sustains itself on conveniently placed bites and cheap alfresco meals. In China, ones home is often small, kitchens are cramped, and time is short. So, a walkable nosh on the way to the office, a quick, cheap lunch, or an evening spent hopping from snack stand to snack stand with friends is an everyday occurrence.

We have been traveling to China for the past twenty-two years. Essentially, we go to China to eat. From the summits of temple-dotted mountains and the banks of picturesque river valleys to the sidewalks of frenetic, crowded, honking mega-cities, the names of which youve likely never heard, weve never had to look very far to find our next indulgence. Where restaurants are exquisite, numerous, and undeniably welcoming to foreign friends, we have a special place in our hearts for street food. Its relatively simple, filling, kind to the ol wallet, and perhaps most importantly, it satisfies our need to be impulsive. Whats he cooking? That looks incredible! Did you smell that? Wed like three, please. Since our objective has always been to eat well and weve been surrounded by the right stuff, it just makes sense to follow our five senses rather than a restaurant guide. Were also avid cooks, so it helps that with street food, we can eat, watch, and chat with cooks on this block, then the next, then the next. Endless fun.