Chinese takeaways
Saturday, March 21st, 2009By Rach, who is trying to make sure everyone eats enough veges
Xi-an, China
At home to eat Chinese (unless you cook it yourself) usually means chow mein or chop suey with a choice of black bean beef, chilli lemon chicken or sweet-n-sour pork. And it costs about $8 a takeaway container.
In China it’s altogether a different story, and while I’m sure you COULD pay top dollar in a swish restaurant, our budget limits us to more modest establishments.
- Steamed pau: 8 little ones for less than a dollar or a big one for 30 cents
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A plate big enough to be shared between two for lunch full of noodles and vegetables for $1.25
All this, with a good dollop of chilli paste, is eaten in the crisp air down a wee alley at a grubby table shared by other locals, mainly workers from a nearby construction site. Complimentary brewed-in-the-bowl tea is thrown in too (or should I say brewed-in-the-plastic-bag?)
- Bread disks at 50 cents a pop
- Half a papaya: $1
Oh how this made us remember the wonderful tropical fruit further south. - Filled rolls: less than 30 cents each
The rolls sit waiting on a slow-burning fire, staying warm and crispy. When you order one, the lady slits it open and fills it with spicy chickpeas and sweetcorn and a range of vegetables, fermented and otherwise, or fungi – you choose.
- Dumplings: ten for a dollar or free at the hostel’s Wednesday night dumpling party
- Big plate of fried rice = 5 yuan
Big plate of vegetables = 3.5 yuan
In other words, dinner for 11 people = $17.71
We could buy a McDonalds combo for $4.84, but apart from the food-factor, I think you can see why we won’t be in China!
prices in NZ$ – pretty much halve it for US$ or Euros
rayres