Stir-Fried Pebbles or Stone Soup?
In either case, be careful not to chew
My father was fond of recounting the old tale of “Stone Soup”, a narrative about an elderly man who ingeniously tricks a village into coming together to make soup. Starting with only a pot filled with water and a stone, the man sparked the villagers’ curiosity, each contributing an ingredient until a sumptuous dish was formed. This delightful soup was the result of the unplanned teamwork of the villagers. This made me particularly amused to find the existence of a genuine dish in China that is prepared using stones.
According to an article by The South China Morning Post, a vendor in a night market in China’s central province of Hunan is known for his unique stone-based dish. He stir-fries small river rocks with a mix of chili, garlic, purple perilla, and rosemary, selling each serving for 16 yuan (US$2.30). The video of the vendor has gotten the attention of millions of social media people across mainland China.
The bizarre nature of the dish, coupled with its interesting history, drew a lot of attention. Commenting on its alleged great taste, one person said, “It might be true that as long as the seasoning is good, even stir-fried shoe soles can be a delicacy.” Another commented, “Sounds like a perfect dish for dieting,”
Many dismiss the dish as a mere stunt, but stir-fried pebbles, known as suo diu, or “suck and throw away” in English, originated by boatmen short of food. The stir-fried pebbles are believed to have originated centuries ago from boatmen laboring along the Yangtze River who had little else to eat. Despite its strange nature, the tradition of stir-frying pebbles has survived in several regions of China.
Some of the province’s older rural residents continue to savor the dish, The diners enjoy the unique flavor of these pebbles, pairing it, not surprisingly with alcohol. The tradition was important to the inhabitants of the province during the food shortage of the Sino-Japanese War from 1937–1945.
The paper said suo diu is considered to be one of the weirdest regional dishes in China. But, it said, there are many competitors. Including Beijing’s Douzhiha, fermented mung bean milk — a grey-green drink that tastes sour and smells foul, but is enjoyed by locals due to its richness in protein and heat-relieving effect. Another is sipunculid worm jelly from Fujian province in southeastern China, a delicacy made from boiled worms harvested along the coast.
