Item: Laojiao, 朥餃
Date: September 30, 2020
Location: Chaozhou, China
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆
Laojiao, literally “lao dumpling” (don’t have a translation for “lao”), is one of those types of street foods that you could only find in the most inconspicuous spots in Chaozhou (Teochew). I passed by a street vendor and stopped to ask what she was selling, and she replied “laojiao”. Of course I had no idea what it was, and that was exactly why I got one to try. And essentially it’s a large dumpling with a hard shell – crispy when freshly made, I assume – and stuffed with things like taro, ground meat, and shiitake mushroom. I didn’t have high expectations because it didn’t LOOK at that amazing, but when I bit into it I thought…how could it be this good?!?!?! That’s the beauty of street food – it is so unassuming but often becomes the biggest surprise!
The Food Gallery 