During my four weeks in China, I decided to try new foods I had never eaten before. Although I am a picky eater in the United States, this trip taught me more about myself. I discovered dishes I now want to recreate at home, which aligns with the passion for cooking I share with my family. In Fuzhou, I challenged myself to eat a spicy soup with my new friend, Perry. We finished half before it became too spicy, but it was the most delicious I’ve ever tasted, similar to buldak (samyang) spicy noodles. In Xi’an, I enjoyed rolled-up yogurt ice cream at a famous street food market. In Beijing, I had Peking duck at a family-style restaurant with friends. In Shanghai, with only two days to explore, I ate mainly international food like Japanese curry with pork cutlet, but with Chinese flavors.
To start off, in Fuzhou, China, I had 辣肉湯 (spicy broth) or spicy meat soup. It was super delicious! (Or, as I learned in Japan, super umai (うまい/旨い), or in Chinese, hěn hǎo [Very Good!] (很好)!) It had broth, noodles, lettuce, fried tofu, onions and slices of meat. It also came with a side of rice.
