The cuisine of Lufeng Xiao Donghai, always has a unique flavor that lingers in memory. Even when I’m away from home, every time I think about those delicious flavors, I’ll get nostalgic and miss them even more. As a foodie, I have a special fondness for Xiaodonghai’s cuisine.
Salted tea is a traditional dish that each household enjoys here. When we’re hosting guests or returning to our hometown during the holidays, my mom will always make a pot of hearty salted tea with various ingredients such as rice cakes, instant noodles, and pickled vegetables. The aroma fills the room, making everyone feel satisfied.
The main ingredient for Xiaodonghai’s salted tea can be either rice cakes or instant noodles, depending on personal preference. You’ll also find a naturally fresh flavor infused from the green vegetable and tea leaves, with a light bitter taste that leaves you wanting more.
Stir-fried Noodles is another popular dish here, known as Hefen in Guangzhou dialect. The rolled flour sheets are called Chen village noodles. Although they have different textures, the flavors are uniquely the same when cooked together with ingredients like cured sausage, pork slices, scallions, and soybean sprouts, topped with chili oil and sauce.
Doubleshooting is a small plate of snacks that you can’t miss, both sweet and salty. Each bowl usually holds only a few pieces, cut into bite-sized portions and served on bamboo sticks to enjoy.
When I think about eastern sea cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is its braised rice cakes, with flavors similar to Xiaodonghai’s intestines powder. They’re best with chili oil and sauce added on top, so delicious! The sweet ones are more like sticky rice cake, sprinkled with sesame seeds for an extra layer of flavor.
Shaved ice, the most refreshing treat during hot summer days here in eastern sea youth, especially when it comes to dragon boat festival shaved ice from Dongfeng. You can find this refreshing snack on almost every street corner. From wanton wrappers and small shell-shaped snacks made with green bean paste and sesame seeds, there are many unique flavors waiting to be discovered.
As for Xiaodonghai’s cuisine, I just couldn’t omit mentioning Wao Bao. It’s a wrap with larger face skin than wontons wraps filled with mashed potatoes or Chinese chives, pork, eggs, and various seasonings. After steaming it becomes delicious, but frying the bottom layer to golden brown adds an extra level of flavor.
Xiaodonghai’s cuisine is far more extensive beyond these dishes…
The delicacies of Lufeng Xianghai are always fermented with their unique flavor in my memory. As a foreigner, I often think back to those mouthwatering dishes and am deeply homesick. For me, eating is an obsession, especially when it comes to the culinary treasures of Xianghai.
Namely tea, the staple food of every household here, is always brewed with love by our elderly ladies on special occasions like family gatherings or during summer breaks. It’s a treat that fills my heart and satisfies my cravings. The main ingredients can be rice cakes or flour noodles, depending on personal preference. With its natural flavor profile characterized by hints of tea leaf and bitterness, the result is an unforgettable taste experience.
Stir-fried bean thread noodles are commonly referred to as “river noodles” in this region, while steamed mung bean wraps are known as “chen village noodles.” Yet, each has a distinct mouthfeel that defies description. The combination of pork intestines, soy sauce, and pickled mustard greens creates an extraordinary flavor profile.
Baozi is one of the most popular snacks in Xianghai, with both sweet and salty flavors available. Each piece no larger than a coin, baozi is usually cut into bite-sized pieces using scissors or chopsticks. The salted version shares similarities with East China’s intestines-style noodles when served with chili oil. Its sweet counterpart tastes like traditional glutinous rice cakes, topped with sesame seeds.
Shaved ice is the favorite dessert among young folk in Xianghai during the summer months, particularly at Dongfeng shaved ice stands found almost everywhere on this street. Other popular snack options include mochi-filled rice pudding, fruit salad bars featuring ingredients such as green beans and candied dates, and assorted fruits like watermelon.
On those sweltering hot days when you’re sweating buckets, there’s nothing more delightful than savoring a bowl of shaved ice! Talking about the culinary offerings in Xianghai brings to mind our beloved steamed dumplings wrapped with large slices of vegetable.