Shanghai Street Food #3 Liángpí 凉皮

Outside the stalls are makeshift fold-up tables and plastic stools. Just wander along until you find something you like the look of. I ordered 'liang pi', literally 'cold skin', not the most appetizing name I know, but this is a wonderful dish for a hot day (one so far since last October, not that I'm counting........) It's made from a cold rice starch sheet, steamed, sliced to resemble noodles, and then mixed deftly in front of you with bean sprouts, chili, peanuts, vinegar, sugar, tiny tofu cubes and coriander. The chili builds momentum as you eat, and the 'noodles' have a dense texture with a great bite, much firmer than regular noodles.


At the next door stall someone has ordered wok fried red-claw, and as the flames leap high and the smell of garlic fills the air, I feel very happy indeed.