For those who are up for a challenge, treat your taste buds to some of the most adventurous foods in Hong Kong, be it the snake wine, pig intestines, or bird's nest soup.
Sure, being a daredevil could mean cliff jumping at waterfalls, taking on Hong Kong’s toughest hikes, or wakeboarding around our pristine waters. But Hong Kong’s bold culinary scene can also be good for an adventure. Are you ready to try some of the best adventurous food in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong’s most adventurous food
1. Marinated chicken testicles
Served with a bowl of rice, the chicken testicles are marinated with soy sauce-based broth – I guess there’s a reason why we love our condiments, they can make anything better! The testicles come in quite a variety of textures and sizes, some may resemble a kidney bean while others may resemble the size of an actual kidney, but let’s not size shame these chickens! People consume chicken testicles for the supposed aphrodisiac effects.
2. Snake soup
This delicacy is particularly popular during winter as it’s believed to keep you warm. The soup is either made of frozen shredded snake meat or even fresh meat taken from live snakes in some restaurants! The prices aren’t cheap, folks, and the rarer your snake, the heavier the price. Perhaps snakes in Hong Kong should be more afraid of humans, rather than it being the other way around?
3. Balut
A popular street food in the Philippines that has Chinese origins, eating partially developed duck fetuses is not for the faint of heart. The egg is boiled for about 25 minutes and then consumed warm. Many would drink the warm broth inside the egg and leave much of the fetus (some would’ve developed tiny feathers by now). It’s said that the yolk is creamy in texture and gives a boost of protein and calcium.
4. Silkworms
Some prefer the silk produced by these pupae, and some prefer eating the silkworm itself. Chinese-style silkworms on the menu at local restaurants in Hong Kong are stir-fried and served with vegetables, noodles, or rice. It’s nothing new to consume insects—it’s even been suggested that we should add more of them to our diet for a more sustainable alternative to protein. In Hong Kong, people consume silkworms because they’re believed to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, prevent diabetes, and even help strengthen muscles.
5. Sea cucumber
Some may be put off by the way sea cucumbers look – slimy, rubbery, and a little spiky – but they taste better than they look (phew!). They’re bland on their own so restaurants serve them pickled or fried, and sometimes also added to soups. Sea cucumbers are commonly prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as they’re believed to prevent cancer, arthritis, and impotence.
6. Stinky tofu
The most adventurous part of devouring stinky tofu is stepping past the odor that can be smelled from blocks away! Stinky tofu is fermented using a mixture of milk and fish-based brine. It’s served in soups or steamed or fried on its own. It is commonly topped with sauces and vegetables. Despite the smell, people like to eat stinky food because it’s delicious, but there are also recent studies that show it could help prevent osteoporosis, lower the risk of prostate and breast cancer, and reduce cholesterol.
7. Century egg
Contrary to popular belief, this egg is not a hundred years old! In fact, the eggs are only a few weeks to a couple months old (depending on the fermentation process). Duck, chicken, or quail eggs are preserved in a mixture of clay, salt, quicklime, ash, and soaked in brine until they turn translucent brown and the yolks turn green. They’re said to be a great cure for hangovers; why not test it out for yourself?
8. Bird’s nest soup
No, the soup is not filled with grass, leaves, and twigs! Rather it’s chicken broth mixed with spit taken from swiftlets, as these birds use their saliva to build their nests. The reason the soup may be one of the priciest dishes on the menu is because the nests are rather hard to obtain (swiftlets live inside caves). If consumed regularly, it’s believed that the soup keeps you youthful and your skin smooth, as well as keeping your lungs and stomach healthy.
