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Lamb casserole, congee, snake soup, claypot rice – winter food favourites in Hong Kong, secrets behind them, and some of the best places to eat them
- It’s not been really cold this winter, but that’s unlikely to have dented Hongkongers’ demand for their favourite seasonal dishes
- We learn why some women swear by snake soup to brighten their skin, and discover the precision timing behind dishes such as congee and claypot rice
Reading Time:5 minutes
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In other parts of the northern hemisphere, cities are blanketed in snow, flights are delayed or cancelled due to frozen runways, and cold weather warnings are telling citizens to avoid going outside if they can avoid it.
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In Hong Kong in early January, it’s 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit). Although this would be considered balmy weather in other places in the world, people in the city are wearing fur coats and heavy scarves.
They’re also seeking out Hong Kong’s warming winter dishes.
Claypot rice – known as bo jai fan – is a Cantonese staple that was introduced to Hong Kong by immigrants from Guangzhou (formerly Canton) to the north in neighbouring Guangdong province in China. The hallmark of this dish is the slightly burnt rice crackling in the base of the pot, called fan chiu in Cantonese. This layer of crusty rice is the soul of the dish.
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At Ho Ho Restaurant in Mong Kok, chef Chen Lieying expertly moves small clay pots around individual burners, the scent of the rice and browning crusts wafting into the night air. Chen says that “time and fire are the key factors” in making a good claypot rice. The whole process takes about 10 minutes, but each step requires attention and precise execution – as well as gut instinct acquired only through experience, he says.
Chen explains that the process can be split into three steps, depending on the fire temperature: “High fire, then medium and finally low.”
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