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Yujing Liu

Chinese fans are some of the most passionate at the World Cup even though their national team is absent from the games.
They are also among the hungriest, so the country sent a trainload of their favourite snacks for soccer watching to Moscow for the world to savour – some 100,000 crayfish precooked in garlic and spices, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.

The 2.5 tonnes of red freshwater crustaceans embarked on a 17-day journey in late May from Hubei province in central China, where over half of the 1.1 million tonnes of crayfish farmed in the country were harvested last year.
Crayfish in numbing, spicy sauce, washed down with a cold beer, has taken China by storm over the past decade.
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More than 1.5 million crayfish were sold through food delivery app Meituan Waimai within the first three hours of the first World Cup game on June 14.
Here are five other popular Chinese match-day snacks to binge on.

Duck necks
Another traditional delicacy from Hubei province, spicy duck neck is a favourite among Chinese soccer fans.
Duck necks are flavourful and chewy, and are usually braised in a range of spices including Sichuan peppercorn, red peppers and cinnamon.
Chain retailer of braised duck Zhou Hei Ya went public in Hong Kong two years ago on the back of the rise in popularity of duck necks. The brand now sells more than a dozen kinds of products, including all duck parts from tongues to wings.

Chicken feet 
Chicken feet with pickled peppers are a must-have snack. They may sound bizarre to those who have never tried them, but the combination of sweet and sour flavour and chewy-crunchy texture is popular in China.
As well as being served at Sichuan restaurants, chicken feet also come in small vacuumed packages at online shops and supermarkets.
More than 600 brands are competing for the massive domestic market currently, according to a report by Shenzhen consultancy Limu Information.

Spicy gluten sticks
These chewy spicy gluten sticks, known as latiao, made with wheat flour and spices, are another classic. Invented by farmers in central China’s Hunan province 20 years ago, the sticks have a mix of sweet, spicy and meaty flavours that many find addictive.  
Chinese food delivery firms cash in as fans stay up late to watch World Cup
Make sure they come from a credible producer before you buy them; unlicensed family workshops proliferated in the 2000s.

Boiled peanuts and steamed soybeans
Go for this more traditional and healthy option if those above are too adventurous. Boiled peanuts and steamed soybeans are a perfect pair and can be easily prepared at home. They are full of protein and vitamins and high in fibre.

Lamb skewers
Lamb skewers are widely popular in northern China. The meat is marinated in salt, cumin, white pepper and chilli and then chargrilled, resulting in tender and juicy meat.


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Fifa World Cup 2018

World Cup snacks: crayfish, duck necks and chicken feet among the top Chinese match-day treats

A trainload of crayfish was sent from China to Russia for World Cup fans to enjoy.

Chewy spicy gluten sticks, or latiao [27JUNE2018 FEATURES]

EWERX5 Stir-fry duck neck [27JUNE2018 FEATURES]

J37MM5 chinese spicy cumin lamb skewers, yang rou chuan [27JUNE2018 FEATURES]

Handout image shows Boiled peanuts with soybean. [27JUNE2018 FEATURES]

Handout image shows Chicken feet. [27JUNE2018 FEATURES]

A Chinese fan looks on ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group G football match between Belgium and Tunisia at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow on June 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Patrik STOLLARZ / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS [27JUNE2018 FEATURES]

Fifa World Cup: China fan envy as Beijing casts covetous glances towards Japan and South Korea

A fan from China waits for the start of the group G match between Belgium and Tunisia at the World Cup in the Spartak Stadium in Moscow. Photo: AP

In this photo taken on Sunday, June 17, 2018, a Chinese soccer fan waves a China's national flag after the group F match between Germany and Mexico at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia . Chinese sponsors are more visible than ever and tens of thousands of Chinese fans have descended on Moscow, using their growing economic clout to secure top-dollar seats and dreaming of the day, perhaps not that far off, when China will host football's showcase. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

epa06815629 A soccer fan waves the Flag of China during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group E preliminary round soccer match between Costa Rica and Serbia in Samara, Russia, 17 June 2018. (RESTRICTIONS APPLY: Editorial Use Only, not used in association with any commercial entity - Images must not be used in any form of alert service or push service of any kind including via mobile alert services, downloads to mobile devices or MMS messaging - Images must appear as still images and must not emulate match action video footage - No alteration is made to, and no text or image is superimposed over, any published image which: (a) intentionally obscures or removes a sponsor identification image; or (b) adds or overlays the commercial identification of any third party which is not officially associated with the FIFA World Cup) EPA-EFE/TATYANA ZENKOVICH EDITORIAL USE ONLY

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China’s soccer fans love to snack when they watch the beautiful game. They’ve shared one of their favourites, spicy garlic crayfish, with the world – sending a trainload to Russia. Here are five more of their most favourite match munchies


Food and Drinks

China 101