Hong Kong is a food lover’s paradise, offering everything from dim sum to roast goose and the famous egg tarts. But there are lesser-known local delicacies that visitors might not be familiar with. One such treat is Hong Kong-style French toast, a rich combination of bread, butter, eggs, condensed milk, and syrup. Another hearty dish is wings and pork with rice and an egg, providing the energy needed to power through the day. Here’s how to prepare these two delicacies and why they’re so popular in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong style French toast
Hong Kong-style French toast is not your typical breakfast fare. It’s more like a dessert or an occasional indulgence. Made by sandwiching two slices of thick white bread with butter or peanut butter, then dipping them in beaten eggs and frying until golden and crispy, this toast is then drizzled with condensed milk and syrup, sometimes topped with whipped cream or ice cream. The result is a rich, sweet treat that melts in your mouth, offering a delightful contrast of textures and flavors.
Hong Kong-style French toast originated from cha chaan tengs, or tea restaurants, which serve a mix of Chinese and Western dishes. These eateries became popular among the working class in the 1950s and 1960s, offering affordable and filling meals. French toast was a staple on their menus, alongside dishes like macaroni soup, pineapple buns, and milk tea. The cha chaan tengs adapted French toast to suit local tastes by adding condensed milk and syrup, common ingredients in Hong Kong desserts.
To make Hong Kong style French toast at home, you will require the following fixings:
- 4 cuts of thick white bread
- 4 tablespoons of margarine or peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- Oil for searing
- Dense milk and syrup for serving
The means are as per the following:
- Spread margarine or peanut butter on two cuts of bread, and sandwich them with the other two cuts. Cut each sandwich into four triangles.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together.
- Heat some oil in a huge skillet over medium-high heat.
- Dunk every triangle of bread in the egg blend, and broil for around 2 minutes for each side, or until brilliant and fresh.
- Move the toast to a plate, and sprinkle with consolidated milk and syrup. Appreciate while hot.
Wings and pork with rice and eggs
Wings and pork with rice and egg is one more dish that you can find in numerous cha chaan tengs in Hong Kong. A basic but fulfilling dish consists of seared chicken wings, braised pork midsection, steamed rice, and a broiled egg. The chicken wings are marinated in soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger, and then pan-fried until firm and succulent. The pork stomach is cooked in a sauce of soy sauce, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, and straight leaves, until delicate and tasty. The rice is cooked in a similar pot as the pork, so it retains the sauce and becomes fragrant and damp. The seared egg is concocted on the radiant side, and adds a dash of lavishness to the dish.
Wings and pork with rice and eggs is a dish that originated with the Hakka people, an ethnic group that migrated from northern China to southern China and other parts of Asia. Hakka cuisine is known for its use of preserved and dried ingredients, such as salted fish, pickled vegetables, and dried mushrooms. This dish showcases the Hakka’s skill in transforming simple, humble ingredients into a delicious and satisfying meal.
To make wings and pork with rice and eggs at home, you will require the accompanying fixings:
- 8 chicken wings
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 inch of ginger, cut
- Oil for searing
- 1 pound of pork tummy, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cups of water
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 stars of anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 straight leaves
- 2 cups of jasmine rice, washed and depleted
- 4 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
The means are as per the following:
- In a huge bowl, throw the chicken wings with the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Marinate for something like 30 minutes, or up to an hour, in the fridge.
- In an enormous pot, bring the water, soy sauce, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, and narrows passes on to a bubble. Add the pork midsection and stew for about 60 minutes, or until the pork is delicate.
- Eliminate the pork from the pot and put it away. Hold the cooking fluid.
- Heat some oil in a huge skillet over high heat. Sear the chicken wings for around 15 minutes, turning once in a while, or until brilliant and fresh. Channel on paper towels, and keep warm.
- In the very pot in which you cooked the pork, heat the cooking fluid to the point of boiling. Add the rice and mix well. Lessen the intensity to low, and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for around 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the fluid is retained.
- In another skillet, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Break the eggs and broil them for around 3 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are runny. Season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, split the rice between four plates. Top each plate with two chicken wings, some pork stomach, and a seared egg. Appreciate some bean stew sauce or vinegar whenever wanted.
These two dishes exemplify how different communities and regions have influenced Hong Kong cuisine. They also show how you can enjoy the diverse and varied foods that Hong Kong has to offer and eat like a local. Whether you prefer sweet or savory, Hong Kong has something to suit your taste. And if you can’t visit Hong Kong, you can always make these dishes at home to get a taste of this vibrant city.