Rice Fork

Rice Fork

　　When it comes to the cuisine of Dandong, the fork dish stands out as the top choice. The “fork” in Dandong is written with the rice radical plus the character “叉” (cha), but since this specific character can't be typed, it's commonly written as “米叉,” pronounced cha (third tone).

　　There’s a saying in this small city of Dandong: if you visit Dandong without seeing the Yalu River, you might as well not have come; if you visit Dandong without trying 米叉子, you might as well not have eaten. 米叉子 can be found everywhere in Dandong, whether at street food stalls or star-rated restaurants.

　　米叉子 was originally a food of the Manchu people, made from corn. The corn is fermented, ground into a watery batter, left to settle, then hand-pulled or molded into smooth, chopstick-thick strands. When stir-frying, the 米叉子 is usually soaked in cold water for a few minutes to remove the sourness, then sautéed with minced meat. It’s mixed with chopped leeks, scallions, and other ingredients before being stir-fried to produce a chewy, tender dish.

　　Besides stir-frying, 米叉子 can also be boiled—locally known as “soup 米叉子.” A small amount of oil is added to a pot, and after sautéing scallions, leeks, Chinese cabbage, or other greens are briefly stir-fried. Water is then added, and once it boils, the 米叉子 is poured in. After cooking, seasonings are added before serving.