In real Shanghainese family, what do they have for every normal morning? In my childhood, bread with milk or steamed bun with milk, are two most frequent sets of breakfast, but in fact, it is not Shanghainese tradition, it's just a rushing poor student who want to keep good morning breakfast habit.
For breakfast, I'm not sure how many young generation still remember those BIG FOUR, Roasted Flatbread (shāobǐng), Fried Twisted Bread Stick (yóutiáo), Bean Curd and Chinese Rice Roll. Luckily, the morning of my best friend's wedding ceremony, we have three of them with the whole big family.
Roasted Flatbread (shāobǐng) and Fried Twisted Bread Stick (yóutiáo), are brother & sister. shāobǐng has salty or sweet version, even regarding to the inside-texture, it can be multi-layers or as a whole by different ways. The point is the crispy layer fully covered by sesame and the original and simple smell of roasted dough!
For big stomach & big mouth, strongly suggest my way! Simply fold the shāobǐng, never mind a table of sesame and bread, toll the full/half yóutiáo inside. Then feel free to give a big big bit, the drier dough with greasy fried bread stick, chewy enough to make you feel 'tired', and a satisfaction of FULL... Probably this is a golden masterpiece created by hard-working people in the old society.
Feel too dry? Then it comes the yummy Bean Curd, served in salty way (totally different from South China area's sweet soup). Spring onion, seaweed, parley, salted mustard, dry shrimp, soy sauce, spicy sauce/oil, sesame oil and pepper, you can add the ingredients as personal preference.
Rice roll doesn't show up that morning, while we have another one with very similar name of rice roll in Chinese, Fried Rice Patties. Also made by rice, deep fried, slightly salted. What I love is the 'tough' hard texture of this square block. While if you don't like too-hard biting experience, you can skip to the central part, coz it's soooo soft and a little rice-sticky.
One word to describe the most traditional, normal, and cheap Shanghaiese breakfast. It's SIMPLE. But a little sad, this kind of breakfast is always luxury for me. In memory, I only have chance to enjoy them in weekend morning with parents, and now living in Hong Kong, seems that I almost say goodbye to them.
* For Bean Curd in Hong Kong, you may like to check this post!
You can also fine me on other networks through Home Page links.
Delicious Catalog
