From the pungent, sour-smelling Beijing Bean Juice to the oddly shaped Nanjing Live Pearl, from the spicy and aromatic rabbit head to the gruesome-looking fried silkworm pupae, field snail jelly, and grilled cicadas, each of these snacks is like an extreme adventure for your taste buds and psyche.
First: Beijing Bean Juice
✅ Preparation Method: Soak green beans thoroughly for about 8-12 hours until they are plump. Grind the soaked beans finely with a stone mill or blender, adding water gradually to form a smooth green bean paste. Strain this paste through a clean cloth, squeezing out the liquid to remove the bean residue, yielding raw bean juice. Slowly simmer this juice in a large pot over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes until it thickens slightly and starts to bubble, exuding a unique sour aroma.
✅ Taste Description: The bean juice has a strong, pungent sour taste, like a burst of sensory shock, challenging for newcomers. The initial assault of acidity quickly overwhelms the taste buds, enveloping the mouth in a wave of sourness. However, as this dissipates, a subtle sweetness emerges, creating a thick, rich mouthfeel. Lovers of this drink find it irresistible, while others keep their distance. 
Second: Nanjing Live Pearl
✅ Preparation Method: Choose chicken embryos that have been incubated for around 12-14 days, ensuring they reach the right stage for “live pearls.” Gently wash the embryos to remove impurities. Place them in a pot with enough water to cover, then steam them over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, carefully controlling the heat to prevent the pearls from bursting or overcooking.
✅ Taste Description: The texture of the live pearls is rich and unique; the white part is tender like delicate jelly, with a slight elasticity and a smooth, silky feel in the mouth. The yolk is softer and more like a dense bean paste, sometimes accompanied by a special liquid that combines the essence of both parts, offering a fresh, rich flavor.
Third: Rabbit Head
✅ Rabbit head is a traditional snack from Chengdu in Sichuan, Datong in Shaanxi, and Quzhou in Zhejiang, available in spicy and five-spice flavors.
✅ Preparation Method: Clean the rabbit heads thoroughly, removing hair and blood residue to ensure they are odor-free. Soak them in clean water for 1-2 hours, changing the water once or twice. In a large pot, add water, scallions, ginger, garlic, and a mix of spices like star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilies, along with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and rock sugar. Boil the water, then add the rabbit heads and simmer for 1-1.5 hours until they are infused with flavor and the meat is tender.
✅ Taste Description: Although there’s not much meat on the head, it’s firm and chewy, with the meat between the bones being particularly flavorful. The spicy version of rabbit head is fiery and numbing, with a rich aroma.
Fourth: Fried Silkworm Pupae
✅ Fried silkworm pupae is a unique Northeastern snack and a dark cuisine, beloved by the locals.
✅ Preparation Method: Wash the silkworm pupae, then soak them in salted water for 20-30 minutes to remove any gaminess. After soaking, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper to ensure no water remains on the surface, which could cause oil splatters during frying. Heat a sufficient amount of oil in a pot until it reaches about 70% heat, indicated by bubbles around a chopstick when inserted. Carefully fry the pupae over medium heat, turning them to ensure even cooking, for about 3-5 minutes until they turn golden and crispy. Drain excess oil, then season with salt, cumin, or chili powder to taste.
✅ Taste Description: The exterior of the fried pupae is golden and crispy, while the interior is soft, creating a stark contrast. The crunch of the shell is like biting into a potato chip, while the inside is tender and fragrant with a subtle protein flavor, less intense than that of typical meat.
Fifth: Minnan Field Snail Jelly
✅ Field snail jelly is a traditional, colorful, and flavorful snack from Quanzhou and Xiamen in Fujian.
✅ Preparation Method: The main ingredient is sand worms (star worms) found on the seashore. After digging them out, wash them thoroughly in clean water to remove sand and impurities. Boil the worms in water for 2-3 hours, allowing the collagen to dissolve into the water, thickening the broth. Filter the liquid to remove residue, then pour into molds or small bowls to cool and set into a jelly-like consistency. Serve with soy sauce, vinegar, and mustard as desired.
✅ Taste Description: The jelly is transparent and jelly-like, shimmering in the light. It has a smooth, bouncy texture, like fruit jelly, and when paired with condiments, offers a refreshing taste.
Sixth: Grilled Cicadas
✅ Preparation Method: Clean the cicadas, then marinate them with salt, Sichuan peppercorns, and ginger slices in water for 1-2 hours to remove any gaminess. Thread the cicadas onto skewers, about 3-5 per skewer. Grill over charcoal until the cicadas turn golden, about 5-7 minutes, brushing with oil and seasoning with cumin and chili powder in the last few minutes for added flavor.
✅ Taste Description: The grilled cicadas have a crispy exterior that makes a slight “crunch” when bitten into, like a thin, brittle shell. The meat inside is firm, with a unique protein scent, reminiscent of a subtle, grassy aroma.
(The above are personal opinions)
