A new street food trend is currently causing a stir in China: grilled ice cubes. Things get hot on the chef’s grill, even if the ice cream ends up being served cold.
What initially sounds like a bad joke is reality in Changsha in the southern Chinese province of Hunan. The street vendor sells his ‘traditional’ delicacy at the local night market.
Chili, sesame, oil and ice
Video footage captured by stunned customers shows the stall owner cooking the ice cubes on an open grill as if it were fresh meat. The preparation is not special: ice cubes end up on the hot grill, while they are melting there, the man brushes them with oil and then sprinkles them with dry chili and sesame.
Finally, he drizzles the ice cubes with chili sauce and chopped green onions, removes them from the grill before they completely evaporate, and packages them up to take with you.
Prefer “a little burnt or soft”
While grilling, the vendor even asks customers if they want it “a little burnt or soft,” then reminds them to “eat it while it’s hot.”
The entire preparation takes less than a minute and a portion costs CNY 15 (just under 2 euros), local media report.
Eat “while they’re hot”
Customers accuse the man of only selling flavored water, but he doesn’t want to leave that alone. According to the stall owner, it is a “snack specialty from the northeast of the country that is best eaten when it is warm”.
When some surprised passersby asked about the taste of the grilled ice cream, he replied, “Once you try this, you’ll want to come back for more.”
Just the story of a street vendor
Chinese food experts disagree: “This is not a dish that chefs make,” explains a representative of the Heilongjiang Landmark Food Brand Identification. The so-called snack specialty simply doesn’t exist in the Northeast; the street vendors simply invented the myth.
When you try it out, you usually still see surprised faces. It remains to be seen whether the creation actually tastes good, but it will certainly make your mouth water.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
