🍽️ Tengchong Er Si

Rice ribbon breakfast near volcanoes.

Tengchong Er Si is a traditional breakfast of Tengchong, Yunnan, made by slicing the rice cake known as 'erkuai' into thin threads. Steamed erkuai is cut while hot into fine strips, blanched in boiling broth, then topped with shredded fresh meat, the local 'hat' (savory topping), pickled vegetables and chili oil, or served dry-tossed. The threads are soft, smooth and springy, soaking up the broth, which is spicy and appetizing. Tengchong sits in a volcanic geothermal area, and locals commonly start the morning with a bowl of hot er si alongside local snacks to warm up. It is the most common breakfast on Tengchong streets in western Yunnan, ranking with Yunnan's rice noodles as two rice specialties; the blanched-to-order soft bite best conveys the morning taste of this hot-spring town.