Sansha Guazi

Sansha Guazi

　　Sansha Guazi, a snack from Ningde, Fujian. It is beloved for its unique feature of combining the flavors of both mountain delicacies and seafood in a single bite. First, roasted (or pan-fried) peanuts are shelled, and ingredients such as celery, shiitake mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, and scallions are chopped into small pieces. These are then cooked together in a pot and transferred to a basin. Once the broth has cooled, finely milled high-quality sweet potato starch produced in Sansha is ground into powder and added to the basin, where it is stirred with the other ingredients to form a paste. Then, oil-based broth is heated in a wok. Once the broth comes to a rolling boil, the paste mixture is scooped out spoonful by spoonful and evenly dropped into the boiling liquid. The ingredients quickly solidify in the hot wok, forming rice cake-like bites—hence the name “Sansha Guazi.” The snack is tender, aromatic, and combines the essence of both mountain and sea flavors, making it both filling and delicious.