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Can a South African feast on fried snakes on a stick?

by Lindsay Jefthas
2nd Jul 2019
in Food & Health, Food Trends, Foodie
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Now the Chinese are going gaga for African foods

Wanfujing Street in Beijing, China, is known for being the home to unusual eats. Lindsay Jefthas tried the fried scorpion on a stick.

Lindsay Jefthas is a mathematics teacher who lives and works in Beijing, China. After graduating university with a bachelor’s degree in education he taught at a school in the Western Cape before moving to China about a year ago.

In Mzansi, meat is practically always on the menu. But what do you do when you’re a hungry South African expat living in China, and the meat looks, tastes and smells different from what you are used to?

Working and living in Beijing for the last 12 months has undoubtedly been one of the highlights in my life. The cravings for real boerewors, traditional potjiekos and mouth-watering braaivleis, however, are only a few of the dishes you long for as a Saffa living abroad.

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Lindsey Jefthas enjoying Chinese dumplings.

China is certainly one of the countries with the most attention-grabbing foods. Many people who have not yet visited this unique country may stereotypically believe that Chinese people eat almost everything. But with an average life expectancy of 76 years, the Chinese are fairly healthy people. Students get fresh-cooked vegetables on a daily basis with every meal. The country’s tea market also flourishes.

For the non-nationals who do not wish to indulge in the local cuisine, there are ample restaurants who serve foods from all over the world. For the courageous ones who embrace their time here, there are plenty of interesting dishes to choose from.

Steamed pork dumplings, known as Jiaozi, is a rather popular dish during the Chinese New Year season.

Roast duck, a Beijing speciality, is popular among foreigners. This is usually served with cucumber and scallion. Another favourite is dumplings (known as “Jiaozi”), which can be found all over China. It is made of rolled dough with different fillings like veggies or mince. A dip in soy sauce makes it even more delicious.

Chinese noodles with various trimmings are also served by most restaurants. Hotpots are also prevalent. Hotpot restaurants usually have a pot in the middle of the table with soup in. Customers are allowed to cook their own ingredients at the table such as meat and vegetables.

For the brave foreigners, who’d like to have a true Chinese experience, there is the famous Wangfujing Street in Beijing, where you’ll find foods that you’ll only see on Fear Factor.

All the vendors in this narrow street attempt to charm customers into trying their fascinating foods. Eatables are prepared in front of you within minutes, but some might just lose their appetite while they wait. From boiled crabs to whole cooked, skinless ducks and fried snakes on a stick, this street has all the ingredients for a possible upset stomach. After taking a bite of fried scorpion, I realised how much I actually miss samosas, koeksisters and all the foods that make South Africa home.

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Cooked crabs is a big fave in China.
Back in Mzansi, lamb shank is quite a treat, although we do have our doubts if the Beijing version of “lambshank on the go” is quite as yummy.
Fried field mice is apparently a popular option in Jiangxi, China.
Apparently silkworm larvae don’t taste bad at all.
Yes, that’s a bunch of fried pigs’ noses.
Tags: BeijingLindsay JefthasSouth AfricanWangfujing Street
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Lindsay Jefthas

Lindsay Jefthas

Lindsay Jefthas resides in Beijing, China where he works as a mathematics teacher. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education and has also previously taught at a school in the Western Cape. Lindsay has been writing since his high school days, and his work has since been published in a leading magazine. These days he mostly writes poems and short stories. He is passionate about economics, both in South Africa and globally.

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