Deliciously Bizarre: 6 Chinese Dishes That Will Amaze You!

Eating habits and preferences vary drastically from country to country, and even sometimes between regions of the same nation. And China, as many of you must know by now, is no stranger to peculiar dishes.

1. Chicken/duck feet

Yes, they look weird, both in their shape and when you witness hungry locals suck anything edible off of them. But once you get past aesthetics and give them a try, you’ll realize they taste much better than they look! And chances are you might get hooked.

Chinese Name:

Chicken feet/凤爪/fèng zhǎo

Duck feet/鸭爪/yā zhǎo

Popular dishes:

1. Chicken feet with pickled peppers/泡椒凤爪/pào jiāo fèng zhǎo

2. Chicken feet with soybean sauce/豉汁凤爪/chǐ zhī fèng zhǎo

2. Thousand-year-old egg

This has once been dubbed one of the world’s “most horrible” dishes, and for credible, visible reasons. But once again, it often takes strong will to overcome what our eyes see as unpalatable and once we taste it, free of judgment, many have come to adore such strange-looking eggs.

They are widely popular and used for preserved egg porridge among locals.

Speaking for myself… I hate those eggs! I have not-so-fond memories of my dad cooking them and making me try them. The outcome? I regurgitated them and cried.

Chinese Name:

皮蛋/pí dàn

Popular dishes:

1. Tofu with thousand-year-old egg / 皮蛋拌豆腐/pí dàn bàn dòu fǔ

2. Cold thousand-year-old egg with dressing / 凉拌皮蛋/liáng bàn pí dàn

3. Stinky tofu!

Nothing beats the iconic smell of stinky tofu (except maybe durian), which gets a lot of rap yet tastes pretty good once people get past what feels like an open toilet that hasn’t been cleaned in over a month. 

Right… not a pleasing thought. 

When garnished with cayenne pepper, scallions, and a special sauce, I can eat a dozen pieces and still crave for more! 

The best part? It’s cheap! You can grab 6 pieces for only RMB 10. 

Time to unleash your inner foodie. 

Chinese Name：

臭豆腐/chòu dòu fǔ

4. Stomach/Intestine

The below-shown dish can be made with pig/cow/duck/chicken, and is usually both spicy and oily. Its chewy texture offers a delicious blend of flavors, making it a very popular choice among Chinese restaurant-goers, although it may not be as widely appreciated by non-locals.

Popular dishes:

1. Pork tripe and chicken soup with pepper / 胡椒猪肚鸡/hú jiāo zhū dù jī

2. Sautéed pig intestines / 溜肥肠/liū féi cháng

3. Spicy duck intestines / 麻辣鸭肠/má là yā cháng

5. Blood

It feels like jelly and can be found in various dishes, including soups and noodles.

Popular dishes:

1. Plain boiled pork with blood sausage / 白肉血肠/bái ròu xuè cháng

2. Duck blood in chili sauce / 毛血旺/máo xuè wàng

3. Duck blood curd and vermicelli soup / 鸭血粉丝汤/yā xuè fěn sī tāng

6.Frog

It’s a common belief among Chinese citizens that eating frog contributes to strong bones and improved eyesight. It often comes in the form of spicy, oily, fried dishes, including hot pot, and any other dish you can think of. In a nutshell, it goes well with everything. 

Have you ever tried it before? I think it tastes like chicken.

Popular dishes:

1. Sautéed bullfrog with pickled peppers / 泡椒牛蛙/pào jiāo niú wā

2. Stone pot frog / 石锅田鸡/shí guō tián jī 

Have you tried any of the above-mentioned dishes before? 

Any favorites you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments section below!

Editor: CH

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