Lecture Notes on Hong Kong Food

Introduction

• Hong Kong is considered one of the top food cities in the world.
• The main goal when visiting Hong Kong should be to try as many foods as possible.

Approach

• Avoid focusing solely on expensive or Michelin-starred restaurants.
• Emphasis on authentic, local eateries and experiences.

Key Foods to Try

Drinks

• Yin Yang: A combination of coffee and tea with evaporated milk. Proportions are seven parts tea to three parts coffee.
• Hongdao Bing (Red Bean Ice): Dessert drink with red beans and evaporated milk.

Breakfast

• Hong Kong Style French Toast: Deep-fried with butter, sometimes with fillings like beef satay.

Iconic Dishes

• Wonton Noodles with Shrimp Dumplings: Shop-made noodles, a must-try.
• Congee with Fried Donut: Rice porridge that can be paired with fried donuts.

Unique Experiences

• Stinky Tofu: Notorious for its smell, but tastes better than it smells.
• Pineapple Bun with Butter: Named for its craggy top resembling a pineapple; contains a slice of butter.
• Egg Tart: A must-have from almost any bakery.

Street Food

• Curried Fish Balls: Ground fish cooked in curry sauce.
• Egg Waffles (Gaï Daan Zai): Light pancake batter in egg shapes.

Cha Chaan Teng (Hong Kong Cafés)

• Instant Noodles with Tomato Broth and Beef Satay: Comes with toast, choice of side meat, and a drink.
• Macaroni in Pork Bone Broth: Comes with a pork chop and a hot dog.

Dim Sum

• Lo Mai Gai: Glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf with mushroom, pork, and shrimp.
• Pork Buns: Baked or steamed, filled with barbecue pork.
• Sumai Dumplings: Pork and shrimp dumplings.

Clay Pot Rice

• Traditional dish cooked in clay pots, featuring crispy rice at the bottom.

Special Mentions

• Typhoon Shelter Crab: Known for its crispy garlic topping.
• Dai Pai Dong: Historical street food stalls with a rich cultural heritage.

Conclusion

• Hong Kong offers a diverse and rich culinary experience.
• Encouragement to explore and try new foods while in Hong Kong.
• The experience is enriching and rewarding, even if some items like rehydrated squid may not appeal to everyone.
• Overall, Hong Kong is a culinary destination worth exploring.

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Gemini

• 🌆 Hong Kong's street food scene offers a wide variety of unique and delicious dishes beyond Michelin-starred restaurants. Must-try items include wonton noodles, congee with Chinese donuts, pineapple bun with butter, egg tarts, and curry fish balls.

• 🕰️️ Yinyang (鴛鴦) is a popular Hong Kong drink that blends coffee and tea with evaporated milk, offering a harmonious flavor combination.

• ⚡️️ French toast in Hong Kong is typically deep-fried, resulting in a crispy exterior and fluffy interior. A unique variation includes a beef satay filling.

• 🍜 Cart noodles allow you to customize your dish by choosing from various toppings, noodles, and broths, offering a personalized and flavorful experience.

• 🍲 Stinky tofu (臭豆腐) lives up to its name but surprisingly tastes better than it smells, offering a unique culinary adventure for those willing to try it.

• 🥚 Gai daan jai (雞蛋仔), also known as egg waffles, are made from pancake batter cooked in a special mold, resulting in a unique egg-like shape and a crispy texture.

• 🦀 Typhoon shelter crab (避風塘炒蟹) is a must-try dish featuring crab cooked with a generous amount of garlic and spices, delivering a flavorful and unforgettable experience.

• 🍤 Dai pai dong (大牌檔) are traditional open-air food stalls that offer an authentic glimpse into Hong Kong's culinary history and culture, with dishes like typhoon shelter crab and beef chow fun.

• 🥟 Dim Sum: It's a traditional Cantonese meal similar to brunch, consisting of various small dishes like dumplings, buns, and rolls, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.

• 🍃 Lotus Leaf Wrap: Glutinous rice filled with ingredients like mushrooms, pork, and shrimp, wrapped in a fragrant lotus leaf, offering a unique and delicious flavor.

• 🥢 Various Dim Sum Dishes: Pork buns (baked or steamed), green pepper slices stuffed with fish, pork and shrimp dumplings (Siu Mai), and crispy spring rolls are all must-try dim sum items.

• 🍜 Wonton Noodles: Features thick chewy noodles in a flavorful, oily broth, often with minced fish, a popular and satisfying dish.

• 🥚 Egg Sandwich: Features cilantro and spam, a simple yet enjoyable quick bite.

• 🍖 Chinese BBQ: Includes soy sauce chicken, char siu (BBQ pork), suckling pig, and crispy roast pork, each offering unique flavors and textures.

• 🍤 Dumplings: Numerous dumpling varieties are available, like hot pork dumplings, fried chive and pork dumplings, and Shanghai dumplings, often enjoyed with vinegar.

• 🍲 Clay Pot Dishes: Cooked in clay pots for thousands of years, resulting in flavorful combinations like chicken with Chinese sausage and pork ribs with black bean sauce, featuring crispy rice at the bottom.

Hong Kong Food Guide: A Culinary Adventure with The Cooking Guy and Humid with a Chance of Fishballs

Introduction:

The Cooking Guy, with the help of Virginia from Humid with a Chance of Fishballs, embarks on a food tour of Hong Kong, exploring a wide range of dishes beyond the typical Michelin star restaurants. Their goal is to showcase the diverse and delicious food that Hong Kong offers, focusing on local favorites and iconic dishes.

Drinks:

• Yin Yang: A unique blend of coffee and tea with evaporated milk. It's described as tea-forward (7 parts tea, 3 parts coffee).
• Hung Tau Sui: A dessert-like drink with sweetened red bean on the bottom and evaporated milk on top. It's served with a bubble tea straw, despite not containing boba.

Must-Try Dishes:

• Hong Kong Style French Toast: Deep-fried and served with a generous amount of butter. A unique variant includes beef satay as a filling.
• Wonton Noodles with Shrimp Dumplings: Considered a must-order item, featuring handmade noodles and shrimp dumplings in a flavorful broth.
• Congee: Rice porridge served with Chinese donuts (youtiao). Described as the perfect cold-weather comfort food.
• Pineapple Bun with Butter: A sweet bun with a craggy top resembling a pineapple, filled with a slab of salted butter.
• Coconut Tart: A warm and moist tart filled with coconut.
• Egg Tart: Available with either puff pastry or shortcrust, filled with a rich and delicate custard.
• Chicken Pie (Gai Pie): A Hong Kong style chicken pie with a sweet and sour flavor, potentially using cornstarch as a thickener.
• Stinky Tofu: Deep-fried tofu with a pungent smell, often served with sauces like hoisin or chili.
• Cheung Fun (Rice Noodle Rolls): Considered an iconic Hong Kong food.
• Cart Noodles: Customizable noodle dish where you choose your broth, toppings like beef brisket, sausage with cheese, and noodles.
• Clay Pot Rice: Rice cooked in a clay pot with various toppings, creating a crispy bottom layer (fu).
• Oyster Omelette: A crispy omelette with oysters, cooked in a large wok.
• Typhoon Shelter Crab: Crab cooked with a lot of crispy garlic.
• Beef Chow Fun: Stir-fried flat rice noodles with beef and scallions.
• Mapo Tofu: A classic Sichuan dish with tofu in a spicy and savory sauce.
• Dim Sum: A Cantonese brunch experience with a variety of small dishes, including dumplings, buns, and rolls.
  • Lo Mai Gai: Lotus leaf-wrapped glutinous rice with various fillings like mushrooms, pork, and shrimp.
  • Pork Buns: Available baked or steamed, filled with barbecue pork.
  • Siu Mai: Pork and shrimp dumplings.
  • Har Gow: Shrimp dumplings.
  • Spring Rolls: Crispy spring rolls served with hot Chinese mustard.
• Doggies Noodles: Thick chewy noodles in a flavorful, possibly fish-based broth, often with minced dace fish.
• Egg Sandwich: Simple but delicious egg sandwich, a specific version featuring cilantro and spam.
• Chinese Barbecue: Includes soy sauce chicken, char siu (barbecue pork), suckling pig, and crispy roast pork.
• Dumplings (from Heiboot Fong): This shop offers various dumplings, including hot pork dumplings, fried chive and pork dumplings, and Shanghai dumplings.
• Beef Brisket Noodle Soup: Michelin-recognized dish with tender beef brisket and flavorful broth.
• Squid: Deep-fried squid with chopped fried garlic.
• Sweet and Sour Pork: Classic Cantonese dish with a crispy and flavorful sauce.
• Shrimp Toast: Deep-fried toast with shrimp, often flavored with Shaoxing wine.
• Soy Sauce Noodles: Simple yet delicious noodles with a savory soy sauce based seasoning.

Tips and Observations:

• Don't be afraid to explore lesser-known eateries and street food stalls.
• Don't hesitate to try new and unfamiliar dishes.
• Embrace the local dining culture, like the use of a "dumb waiter" and the practice of rinsing dishes with hot water.
• Be prepared for some dishes to be spicy (like the hot pork dumplings).
• Hong Kong's food scene is incredibly diverse and offers something for every taste.

Noteworthy Opinions:

• The Cooking Guy declares the minced dace fish noodles from Doggies Noodles as "damn good".
• He highly praises the Typhoon Shelter Crab and considers it a highlight of the trip.
• He expresses strong dislike for the dehydrated squid.
• Virginia considers the egg sandwich a solid 81 out of 10.
• She describes the cart noodles as amazing smelling.

Overall Impression:

The Cooking Guy and Virginia's Hong Kong food adventure is a testament to the city's vibrant culinary scene. They emphasize that delicious food can be found beyond fancy restaurants, and encourage viewers to explore and experience the diverse flavors that Hong Kong has to offer.