One of our favorite things to eat in China is “shao kao” — grilled foods usually sold by outdoor vendors. If it can be skewered onto a bamboo stick, then it can be served as shao kao! Tofu, meats, and vegetables are all grilled. Here a whole eggplant is being prepared. It will be cut and served on a dish instead of on a skewer.
The foods are sprinkled liberally with hot pepper, cumin, sesame seeds, and other spices for a mouthwatering punch! The shao kao vendors most often set up at nightfall and arrange small tables and chairs around their grill so groups can come eat a late dinner. But daytime grills can also be found selling a few skewers at a time that can be snacked on as people stroll about.
As would be expected, Chinese friends often ask me about foods and eating habits in America. They are surprised that we usually grill at home in our backyards. They are also surprised to learn that there are no (okay, few) street vendors. But then I get to explain drive through restaurants to them. I think that’s the closest equivalent to a street vendor. With both, you pick up a quick, cheap snack on the go. But I have to think that grilled tofu on a stick is healthier than a bag of french fries, even despite the hygiene risks of the street stalls.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I would risk the hygiene to eat freshly grilled snacks like that!
Yum! I used to eat street food in Latin America(wealthier countries only) like this. Meat on a stick is the best!
Oh, that looks great! I loved getting fried Calamari or potato pancakes in Germany, shashlyk (meat kabobs) in Russia but these suit my palate even better!
Oh, and now I’ve got to put the kettle on. I enjoyed your tea ceremony post so much!
Richele´s last blog ..The Games We Play
We have kebab here, the Mediterranean version. YUM!
Thanks for sharing.
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I was going to ask about the safety aspect. I’ve been to India twice and everyone absolutely insists it is unsafe to eat from the street vendors. I’ve never done it. I’ve also never been sick in India. But I always have wanted to.
I assume, like anything else, common sense comes into play. Is the food freshly cooked and hot, how does it look and what kind of food is it?
Can you share your thoughts and guidelines on this issue as it relates to your experience in China? For instance, do you consider yourself acclimated enough to China to be more immune than a newcomer?
Blessings,
Sandwich
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This is an excellent question and one that comes up a lot when I share about street vendors. I know that the conventional wisdom for short term trips and vacations is to avoid street foods. It’s logical because there is a real risk of getting sick. And who wants to spend three days of your two week vacation sick in the hotel? But on the other hand, in China, you run that risk at most any restaurant or even in a person’s home. The standards of hygiene are simply not the same. (One example stands out clearly in my mind. At a friend’s home, I watched the hostess cut pork on a wooden chopping block. Later she wiped the board with a none too clean, dry cloth and cut fruit on it. Yes, I ate the fruit she gave me with a silent prayer.) So you can get sick at a fancy restaurant OR from a street vendor. Or you can get sick simply from riding a bus or taxi. The germs and viruses are everywhere.
As you said, common sense needs to be used. If the vendor’s set-up looks relatively clean and the food is cooked through and hot when you’re eating it, it’s probably safe. Drinks are especially dangerous as you don’t know what type of water was used to make them. I recommend visitors ONLY drink bottled things. But again, if you’re at someone’s home, you can’t politely refuse a cup of water or tea. Just pray and drink it. Same goes for sliced fruit sold on the street. I do eat it, but for newcomers it’s probably not the best choice. But whole fruit and prepare it yourself. So hot, cooked foods – OKAY. Raw foods or beverages — AVOID.
Living here long term does acclimate you to the particular “bugs” in the food and water. So, you’re absolutely right. You may come visit me and only you get sick after we both eat the same thing. Probably, I’ve already gotten that particular bug and I’m better able to fight it the second time.
When we go to other provinces, we tend to get sick more easily until we get used to that area’s “bugs.” Interestingly, when we visit USA, we also have a time of adjustment to the food and water. We don’t get sick, per se, but there is some discomfort.