Have you ever considered trying a unique culinary experience? If so, this fascinating Chinese dish with a rich history might capture your curiosity. Known as the "world's hardest dish," it has been making waves on both domestic and international social media platforms.
Imagine indulging in pebbles or stones instead of a soft, decadent chocolate lava cake.
Yes, you read that correctly. This Chinese dish, called "
Suodui
," has become a viral sensation, perplexing and intriguing
netizens
across the globe.
Many viewers find it hard to believe that this Chinese delicacy is made up of pebbles, to be more precise. "Suodui" is a traditional Chinese dish that involves stir-frying stones with vegetables and spices. The experience involves savouring the spicy flavours while delicately extracting the small rocks and discarding them.
The phrase "Suodiu" in Chinese translates to "suck and dispose of," accurately describing the process of enjoying this dish. Although not commonly consumed in China, it has gained immense popularity on Chinese social media platforms like
XiaoHongShu
and
(comparable to Chinese versions of
and Twitter).
Videos and social media posts depict vendors frying pebbles with oil, spices, sauce, peppers, and other ingredients. These unique creations are served to customers at an affordable price of around $2 or 14 Chinese Yuan (Rs 170).
When asked about the fate of the stones, the vendor amusingly suggests that customers can take them home as souvenirs. This dish originated centuries ago in the Chinese province of Hubei. Boatmen who frequented the
Yangtze River
in this landlocked province often faced food shortages and resorted to sucking on rocks for their mineral content.
The pebbles reportedly possess a fish-like taste, which is further enhanced through the frying process with spices. This dish is closely associated with the
Tujia
people, an ethnic minority residing near the Wuling mountain range, bordering Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou. However, as the frequency of boatmen being stranded on the river decreased over time, the popularity of this unique dish waned.
It's worth noting that consuming this dish poses a choking hazard, prompting netizens to jokingly speculate that the next Chinese food trend might involve mud.
