food

The culinary art is central to Chinese life and culture. There is an enormous variety of flavors and specialties all around China. Qian cuisine (Guizhou cuisine) is no exception. In Guizhou alone, there are more than 250 popular dishes which are famous for the most part hot and spicy, a characteristic of the southwest. However, the particularity of the cuisine in Guizhou is that it sour (from tomato) as well as spicy. There is an ancient local saying : "Without eating a sour dish for three days, people stagger with weak legs".

  • Snacks, xiao chi 小吃:
    “Xiaochi” literally means “small food” and can be translated as “snack”. All over China you will find that xiaochi comes in different shapes and forms, whether you prefer sweet, salty or spicy, you are sure to find your match.
    The most famous place to find local snacks and food are on Hequn Road as well as on Shaanxi Road. Below are some examples of snacks you will come across in Guiyang:
    • Love tofu 恋爱豆腐: This snack is composed of small pieces of Tofu grilled on a mesh wire and stuffed with a sauce composed of soy sauce, hot pepper, garlic, green scallion and ginger.
    • Huaxi beef rice noodles 花溪牛肉粉: This dish is named after the town of Huaxi where it originated. The dish is basically rice noodles in a spicy and sour broth. It is made from diced beef, handmade rice noodles, coriander, Chinese prickly ash, hot peppers, pickled cabbage and ginger. The pickled cabbage adds the sour taste to the dish and many locals like to add sesame oil or spicy oil to the broth before eating it. thin rice noodles with beef
    • Roasted Potato 烤土豆: A steaming hot potato served with spices to dip it in.
    • Si wa wa (silk doll): This dish gets its name from the fact that you wrap the food in very thin rice-flour pancakes. The food is laid out in little bowls in front of you and you select which ingredients you wish to put on your pancake. You usually can choose from thin slices or shreds of vegetables like cucumber, radish, kelp, beansprouts, fried soybeans, etc. Then roll it up and dip it in a spicy and sour sauce. In Guiyang, the best place to try this dish is on 飞山街 （feī shān jiē）.

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  • Some specialties of Guizhou:
      • Gongbao Chicken (KongPao Chicken):
        Gongbao Chicken, commonly found in Chinese restaurants under the name KongPao Chicken, has a history of more than a 100 years and was created by an official in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) named Ding Shaobao. The dish is composed of diced chicken is fried with peppers, sauces, salt, vinegar, ginger, and garlic. It is a spicy stir-fried dish.
      • Fish in Sour Soup:
        This dish is an essential part of the local diet. It originates from Kaili, a minority area in the southeast of the Guizhou province. The broth is the most important part of the soup. It is made with sticky rice, tomatoes, peppers, shallots, ginger, and other vegetables.
      • Bijie dumpling: A dumpling made with rice flour, stuffed with ham, sesame, peanut, etc. It is characterized by its small size, thin skin filled with lots of stuffing.
      • Crackling Fish with Zao Pepper:
        Zao pepper is a condiment only found in Guizhou. The dish is made with a fresh carp breaded in a mix made from flour, eggs and salt. It is then fried and ginger, zao pepper, and water are added to the pan to make a sauce. The fish is crispy on the outside, and tender and moist on the inside, and the aroma is irresistible.