Erkuai () is a type of

rice cake A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten. Common variations include ...

particular to the

Yunnan Province Yunnan; is an inland Provinces of China, province in Southwestern China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 47.2 million (as of 2020). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the Chinese provinces ...

southwest China Southwestern China () is a region in the People's Republic of China. It consists of five provincial administrative regions, namely Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Xizang. Geography Southwestern China is a rugged and mountainous region, ...

. The name literally means "ear piece," a reference to the shape of one of its common forms. It is often served

stir-fried Stir frying ( zh, c= 炒, p=chǎo, w=ch'ao3, cy=cháau) is a cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok. The technique originated in China and in recent centuries ...

with vegetables, and ''málà'' (麻辣) sauce, which is a mixture of dried red chilis,

Sichuan pepper Sichuan pepper (, also known as Sichuanese pepper, Szechuan pepper, Chinese prickly ash, Chinese pepper, Mountain pepper, and ''mala'' pepper, is a spice commonly used in Sichuan cuisine in China, Bhutan and in northeast India. It is called mej ...

, and salt. It is also sold as the popular street food ''kăo ĕrkuāi'' (烤饵块) or ''shāo ěrkuāi'' grilled and rolled around a '' yóutiáo'' (strip of fried dough), with sweet or savory condiments added, making a rolled-up snack resembling a Mexican

burrito A burrito (, ) or burro in Mexico is, historically, a regional name, among others, for what is known as a taco, a tortilla filled with food, in other parts of the country. The term ''burrito'' was regional, specifically from Guanajuato, Guerre ...

. The sweet type contains a sweet brown sauce and peanuts, while the savory type is spread with '' lǔfǔ'' and

bean sprouts Sprouting is the natural process by which seeds or spores germinate and put out shoots, and already established plants produce new leaves or buds, or other structures experience further growth. In the field of nutrition, the term signifies ...

, and various other toppings. ''Kăo ĕrkuāi'' is particularly popular in the tourist area of Dali. Its peculiar name has led to it being called one of the Eighteen Oddities in Yunnan.

References

Yunnan cuisine Chinese rice dishes Rice cakes {{China-cuisine-stub

See also

References