Hot cates
cctv.com 09-01-2003 14:21
For a taste of something less romantic but definitely Chongqing, head to a hotpot restaurant for some of the city's staple dishes.
Chongqing is well known as one of the three furnaces along the Yangtze River - the other two being Wuhan and Nanjing. In summer, the mercury soars and the heat makes being here almost unbearable. But that doesn't seem to worry the locals. They turn the heat up by boiling spicy oil and using it to cook any number of exotic dishes. If you are feeling adventurous, you can choose from duck innards, to pig kidney, to ox stomach. Take the plunge, they really are delicious.
The key to the meal is the preparation of the red chilli oil. Each restaurant has its own secret formula, although it looks just like chilli to me. There is a special post, the hotpot cook, who's only in charge of orchestrating the oil and the chicken soup.
Due to the wet weather, Chongqing is so hot, however, people here still eat such hot food. Eating hotpot is also good for your skin.
Only that the hot species might not agree with your stomach and chances are, if you are the first time rookie, you will end up in painful stomach discomfort. And chances are you would feel like fire burning in your throat and tongue and clench your hand swearing you will never try it again and three days later you would love it at least it happens to many people.
Hotpot is the symbol of Chongqing but it's not the beginning and end of Chongqing cuisine. If we say China is the kingdom of the epicure, then Chongqing is definitely to centre scorching delicacies. The people's generosity of spirit also manifests itself in the way they eat. They never hold back on the oil, the chillies or the heat factor. What makes Chongqing special is the huge amount of a special kind of pepper, which can numb your tongue and cheeks
Along Nanbin road you can find plenty of gourmet restaurants offering typical Chongqing food. In the cool of the summer nights, the locals dine outside in the open air along the river. You can end your night out with a ride along the Yangtze 鈥 it should help temper the flames ignited by the food and give you a glimpse of the city's nocturnal character. There are several sites on top of the hills you can get a good a view of the skyline at night 鈥 a time when Chongqing seems to have a whole different nature.
Life along the river in the mountain city is so relaxed and comfortable, but the metropolis is also filled with incredible vitality. It would be a pity if you came to the region without checking out all it has to offer.
Editor:Han Ling Source:CCTV.com
