Crave the crunch: China's latest culinary phenomenon, suodiu
No one in Europe would likely think of using them in dishes. However, the Chinese have a culinary repertoire that includes products Europeans have never even considered. This is precisely the case with suodiu.
Chinese cuisine continues to astonish Europeans. It's often said that the Chinese can eat practically anything, and there's some truth to that. The list of dishes includes fried insects, scorpions, animal brains, and small birds. Now, fried stones, or suodiu, have been added to that list.
What is suodiu? How can you prepare stones?
Described as "the world's hardest dish" by CNN, the dish originates from the Hubei province in eastern China. This is fitting because suodiu (which means "suck and throw away") consists of stones fried with spices. Anyone interested in trying them receives instructions from the vendors—you suck on them and then spit them out.
Videos have surfaced on Chinese social media showing how to prepare this unique dish. The small stones are heated on a grill, drizzled with chili oil and garlic sauce, and then fried with garlic and pepper. The sautéed stones are then packaged in small boxes.
Where did the idea for such a dish come from?
Suodiu has a long history, with its recipe being passed down through generations of sailors. In ancient times, when they ran out of food during their voyages, they began preparing stones in this manner.
This unique dish appeals to fans of spicy flavors, although caution must be exercised to avoid damaging teeth while consuming it.
