Typical Kunming Dishes
Kunming, located on the Yunnan Plateau and the northern end of Dian Lake, is known as "The City of Spring" thanks to its temperate climate. In addition to very scenic attractions, Kunming's typical dishes enjoy a high reputation among domestic and international tourists. In this article, we dive into some of Kunming's top must-try foods that will ignite your palate with their complex flavors.
Cross the Bridge Noodles, also known as Guoqiao Mixian, is a rice noodle soup originating from Yunnan Province. It is one of the best-known dishes in Yunnan cuisine. Guoqiao Mixian has more than a century of history and has been on the Kunming Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2008. The dish is served with a large bowl of boiling broth and soup. The soup is made with chicken, pork bone, and seasonings such as Chinese star anise and ginger. Common ingredients include thin slices of ham, pieces of chicken, chicken skin, strips of cottage cheese leaves, chives, sprouts and rice noodles. In Yunnan, several small restaurants sell this delicious food that arrives at the table in large bowls already mixed. In these places, it is a type of fast, cheap and satisfying food.
Steamed Chicken in Pot is a chicken and rice soup, very popular in Kunming. It is said that it was the favorite dish of the King of Nanzhao. It is prepared by cooking chicken in a broth of aromatic herbs along with rice and some vegetables. To prepare the dish, the first step is to cut the chicken into cubes, put them in the steamer and add a little seasoning. The steamer is then placed in another container filled with water. After stewing the container for three or four hours, hot steam enters the chicken through the volcano inlet, so the chicken is ready to eat.
Roasted rice cake, also called Shao Erkuai, is a unique food that can only be seen in the Yunnan area. However, you will be surprised by its popularity as you can easily find Erkuai stalls on any street in Kunming. Roasted rice cake is made with various local rices, mostly white rice and purple rice. The cooked rice is crushed and shaped into a square or round cake. They are then roasted over a fire and spread with sesame sauce or hot sauce. You can also try eating like the locals, wrapping a stick of fried dough or hams.
Yunnan is a kingdom of wild mushrooms, whose edible family exceeds 200 varieties. Fresh wild mushroom has become a permanent dish on the menu of Kunming locals in spring and summer. After it rains, all kinds of mushrooms come out. With various cooking methods, it can be made into a mild soup with other vegetables or stir-fried with peppers and meat. In addition, a hot pot of wild mushrooms will delight the palate from the first taste.
As an essential dessert in Kunming gastronomy, flower cake, one of the representative mooncakes of the Dian style, comes from the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911) and used to be praised by royalty. It has a unique filling, made from local Yunnan roses. Other ingredients, such as magnolia yulan, sesame, peanuts, semen juglandis and jujube paste, are sometimes added according to preference. The sweet filling with a light rose fragrance and the crispy crust make it one of the most popular pastries in Yunnan.
