Top-Ten Hong Kong dishes (#10-6)
Hong Kong has a food history as rich as its political, cinematic and cultural one. Food is very much part of the Hong Kong buzz and if you consider yourself a serious foodie, then you will find plenty to love on its streets and restaurants. For those new to the cuisine, may we present a top ten of must-eat HK foods. This first article will take us from 10 to 6. Happy eating!
10. Sweet Tofu Soup One of the great things about Hong Kong food is its ability to be both simple and complex at once. Sweet Tofu Soup is a terrific example. Here you have a light, sweet, syrupy soup but with the strong taste of Tofu to bring it a really subtle power.
9. French Toast You have not eaten French toast until you've eaten it in Hong Kong. This version of the popular savoury treat takes two slices of bread, smothers them in either peanut butter or kaya jam, then deep fries them in egg batter and butter, then serves with syrup. Not recommended for the calorie counters, certainly, but an absolute must for fans of big taste.
8. Five Layer Roast Pork Known locally as ‘Siu Yuk' this delicious take on pork belly is a powerful mixture of the crisp and soft. It comes with a top layer of golden brown crackling, a middle section of succulent pork and a bottom layer of sweet spice. Eat it with a generous helping of mustard on the side to bring its overpowering flavours to the fore.
7. Sweet and Sour Pork Though it may be a staple of Chinese restaurants the world over, you won't find anything like Hong Kong Sweet and Sour Pork anywhere else. Known here as ‘Go Lo Yuk', it comes with an intensity of flavour thanks to a potent mixture of vinegar, hawthorn candy and preserved plums. A Cantonese classic.
6. Fishballs One of the most popular snack foods for Hong Kongers is the humble fishball. There are two types available all over HK: the cheaper, yellow ball, fried in curry sauce and served five at a time on a skewer by street vendors and the more refined white ball, handmade by skilled chefs and served in restaurants only.