Savoring Aroma and Taste by Roasting Pebbles on Iron Plate
Spat-Out Stones Washed and Recycled
"First Time Seeing This" Also Trending on Chinese SNS
A video of 'stone stir-fry,' where 'stones' are seasoned and then stir-fried on an iron plate, is becoming a hot topic on Chinese online platforms. Stone stir-fry is a traditional dish where stones flavored with aroma and taste are savored and then spat out, but it is known as an unusual food even among locals.
According to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 12th (local time), videos of cooking 'stone stir-fry' are currently gaining popularity on Chinese social networking services (SNS).
According to the media, the video was filmed at a night market in China on the 4th. In the video, round stones are poured onto an iron plate, then seasoning and sauce are added and stir-fried together.
The stones are a common type of smooth pebble found by the riverside, and various spices such as garlic are added before selling. The price is 16 yuan (about 2,800 won) per bag.
The tasting method involves putting the stones in the mouth to savor the aroma and seasoning, then spitting them out. The stones left by customers after eating are washed clean and can be used as another 'ingredient.' The street vendor making the stone stir-fry in the video joked, "Even after three generations eat this dish, there will still be stones left."
The video has recorded over 4 million views. Local netizens reacted with surprise, saying, "I'm Chinese, but I've never heard of such a dish," and "Are there really people who pay to eat that?"
Some positive responses also appeared, such as "If the seasoning is good, even stones could be a delicacy," and "It seems good for dieting."
China's Long-standing Traditional Dish... Presumed Origin in Central Hubei Province
Meanwhile, stone stir-fry is a legitimate 'traditional dish' with a history of hundreds of years in China. It is presumed to have originated in central Hubei Province.
According to local media reports, the real name of stone stir-fry is 'Suo Diao (???)', which means 'lick and spit out' in Korean. It is known as a dish created to ease the hunger of common people suffering from poverty. Especially between 1937 and 1945, during the Sino-Japanese War, Suo Diao was cooked in various regions of China.
The stones used as ingredients for Suo Diao are commonly found by the riverside, but their shape and size are strictly distinguished. They must be smooth, round stones to avoid injuring the mouth, and have a modest size that fits in one bite.
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