{"id":522,"date":"2012-02-11T12:00:07","date_gmt":"2012-02-11T17:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=522"},"modified":"2012-02-11T11:33:42","modified_gmt":"2012-02-11T16:33:42","slug":"everything-but-the-table-chuaner-%e4%b8%b2%e5%84%bf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/everything-but-the-table-chuaner-%e4%b8%b2%e5%84%bf\/","title":{"rendered":"Chu\u00e0n\u00e9r (\u4e32\u513f)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Quite similar to the Middle Eastern style of “kebab”, \u4e32\u513f (Chu\u00e0n\u00e9r) is a skewer of grilled anything, meant to be eaten without utensils or modesty. To me, \u4e32\u513f is more than just a snack, it’s a state of mind, enjoyed by all ages and all walks of life. Synonymous with night-life dining culture, \u4e32\u513f is like the Chinese version of tapas. It’s the foundation to any late-night meal, encouraging conversation, drinking and midnight antics.<\/p>\n

The beauty of \u4e32\u513f lies in it’s simplicity, requiring only a heat source (often a coal or wood fired grill or electric oven), chunks of meat, tofu, vegetables or even a starch, some kind of skewer, and an assortment of spices to add flavor. It can be cooked by anyone with a little practice, on any street corner, and you’ll find it any time during the day or night. Think of it as comfort food for the entire population of China and any \u8001\u5916s lucky enough to disregard the travel clinics orders. Just grab a stick and chow down (\u5403\u5427)!<\/p>\n

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\nEverything about \u4e32\u513f is convenient, even the character for it. *Please note here that Beijing and northern regions of China add the \u513f (hard r sound) due to dialect, but in southern regions people often just say \u4e32 and drop the \u513f*. That being said, the basic character in chu\u00e0n, \u4e32\uff0cpictographically looks just like an example you’d find at a grill (see left). The line down the middle represents the skewer, and the two boxes represent the meat, bread, veggie, tofu that you are grilling.<\/p>\n

It’s not surprising that Han Chinese culture has taken a liking to this \u65b0\u7586 style of food because Chinese people love food that is convenient \u65b9\u4fbf [f\u0101ngbi\u00e0n], and mobile. While most \u65b0\u7586\u4e32\u513f is lamb or chicken based (due to Muslim culture they do not eat, or have the same affinity for pork, \u732a\u8089 zh\u016br\u00f2u, as the Han Chinese), the Han Chinese have elevated \u4e32\u513f to a whole new level (phrase: \u63d0\u9ad8\u6c34\u5e73\uff09.
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\nIn coastal regions (especially in Taiwan), squid \u4e32\u513f is the most common delicacy. You’ll often find it with a sweet, chalky bbq sauce that can really be hit or miss. You can also get all sorts of \u9c7c [y\u00fa] \u4e32\u513f\uff0cmostly deep fried and still with bones. Then, for the most adventurous, there is sea snake (not too tasty in my opinion), shark (really just dogfish), starfish, sea urchin and even sea cucumber \u4e32\u513f\u3002<\/p>\n

If you’re in an inland setting, the most common style of \u4e32\u513f is almost always going to be fatty pork (\u732a\u8089 zh\u016br\u00f2u) or lamb (\u7f8a\u8089 y\u00e1ngr\u00f2u). Simplistic? Yes, but like all staples of Chinese food, necessarily so because it’s just so darn delicious. With lamb or pork \u4e32\u513f\uff0cchunks of meat are separated by grizzle and fat, which melts into the meat during grilling, creating the most melt-in-your-mouth texture and flavor. Better yet, while the fat sizzles, spices are generously dumped atop the \u4e32\u513f and soak directly into the meat crystalizing the flavor in.<\/p>\n

Many Chinese people have told me that the fat is indeed the best part of the \u4e32\u513f\uff0c and you’ll soon realize this when you go out to eat in China. While for many \u8001\u5916, grizzle is a texture we dislike, for Chinese people have grown love gnawing upon parts of the meat we would usually throw out because for centuries it was a sign of affluence and nourishment. Chinese people see a meal of fatty meats with friends as a celebration of good fortunes after nearly a half century of starvation. Chinese people revel at the chance to not only eat the fattiest cuts of meat possible, but to share them with guests. So \u8001\u5916\uff0c show some manners and “chew the fat” \u804a\u5929\u6216\u95f2\u8c08 [li\u00e1o ti\u0101n hu\u00f2 xi\u00e1n t\u00e1n] with some \u670b\u53cbs.<\/p>\n

For vegetarians the options are much more limitted, but still delicious. \u9992\u5934\u7968 or \u9992\u5934\u4e32\u513f \uff08toasted steamed bun with oil) is one of my personal favorites, and oh so \u4fbf\u5b9c \uff08cheap). Fried tofu (\u8c46\u8150\uff09is also an option, but can be rather hit or miss depending upon where you go. The grilled vegetables, however, seem great no matter where I go. My absolute favorite, \u8fa3\u6912\u4e32\u513f or [l\u00e0ji\u0101o]\uff08think spicy green chili) is perfect when you need a little pick me up (I call it green tea on a stick).
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\nYet for those truly willing to try something new, I suggest taking a stroll down \u738b\u5e9c\u4e95 street market in Central Beijing. Known for it’s “exotic” food, \u738b\u5e9c\u4e95 is home to some of the most bizarre and tasty \u4e32\u513f I’ve ever eaten. As you traverse the street, you’ll be accosted by \u5c0f\u8d29 [xi\u01ceof\u00e0n] or street vendors yelling and pointing the their assorted “things on a stick”. For clips and a virtual tour, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

My favorite exotic snack here is undoubtedly the fried scorpion on a stick or \u874e\u5b50\u4e32\u513f [xi\u0113zi]. Just think of it as deep friend popcorn, as it is very oily, crunchy and has a starchy inside. Maybe even more enjoyable than eating these nasty little creatures, is watching how they are prepared and cooked. Shoved onto a skewer while still alive, they’ll twitch and flex their stingers while you walk by, allowing you to pick the feistiest ones for your stomach \u809a\u5b50. Check out the video