Unexpected 'World's Hardest Food' Found in China

Stir-fried stone dish has been around for hundreds of years and recently caused a stir on Chinese social media.

Diners suck on small ice cubes to enjoy the rich and spicy flavor of the dish originating from Hubei province, eastern China.

They were instructed to suck out the flavour, then spit out the stone – hence the name suodiu, which means “suck and throw away”.

Videos of people trying suodiu have been popping up all over Chinese social media platforms in recent days. Street vendors pour chili oil over sizzling stones in a wok, drizzle garlic sauce over them, and then stir-fry everything together.

Finally, customers are served flavored ice cubes in palm-sized boxes. Each serving costs about 16 yuan ($2.30).

“Do I have to give you back the pebbles after I finish eating?” one customer asked. “Take them home as a souvenir,” the chef laughed.

Suodiu is said to have been around for hundreds of years. According to local media, it has been passed down through generations by boatmen through oral history.

In ancient times, boatmen would get stuck in the middle of the river and run out of food while transporting goods. In order to "find happiness in bitterness", they would find stones to cook with other spices to create a dish.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/mon-an-cung-nhat-the-gioi-khong-the-ngo-toi-o-trung-quoc-185230905141523817.htm