Children, here I sit...I'm in my PJ's, listening to BBJ watch a movie and Siu Jeun playing on the floor with whatever trash he can find. (Yes, really. The kid adores trash above all else.) I'm drinking a tall glass of iced chrysanthemum tea, trying to get the best of a cold that is coming on...and wondering what I can possibly share about the great and varied customs of the Chinese.
Squid. It's all I can come up with.
We stopped at an Asian market last week and loaded up on some Chinese snacks and supplies. Into the cart went dried chrysanthemums, rock sugar, dried and salted citrus peels, various cookies...and squid.
"Yau Yu Si" (Prepared Shredded Squid) is one of BBJ's favorite snacks. The squid is marinated and dried, then divided into strands. It's squid jerky! It is salty and sweet and vaguely fishy and quite tasty! Ingredients include squid, salt, sugar and spicy seasonings. In Shanghai, you can buy it on the street, freshly grilled. Here, we have to settle for small plastic bags. Mmm...tasty!
*As an aside, when someone is fired from their job, the slang term is that they got their squid fried.
Happy Tuesday, y'all!
Heh, that "chau yau yu" expression? I'd never heard of it until I came to HK!
ReplyDeleteMy dad served his mission in Japan, and brought home some interesting food likings from there. I remember when I was little (4-5ish) that he'd keep dried squid around the house for snacks. Al loved it, but I couldn't stand it. Now, I'm fond of calamari, but I haven't yet had the courage to try it dried, again.
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ReplyDeleteThat's quite interesting. I'd love to try it. Because i like to try new foods. And 'got your squid fried is so funny'....well not really but it is. :)
ReplyDeleteMy nose is crinkling up right now. That sounds...a little...unappetizing at 6am.
ReplyDeleteWell, it never fails to impress me! BBJ eats shredded squid? Nice!
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