Kunming Food - Oil and Fire

Sitting on footstools made from straw is not exactly what I am looking for in a restaurant in a proper neighbourhood. The proper tables and chairs were within this large eatery. A decade and half ago I ate the same type of food albeit with fewer dishes and paid 15 Ringgit for 6 people and came away holding my belly.

Kunming is much different today. Roads were paved with granite slabs. Banks were equipped and service great. Supermarkets were stacked with products. There were depth and width. I remember how empty and lack of variety the shelves were in Guangzhou when I was there in 1995.

This time I had no time to re-visit their lakes, Stone Forest and beautiful gardens. But eat I must and here are some record of it. The food were no different from those I ate in times past. It was all fire and oil. Spices and lots of oil.

I am not sure about the unhealthy use of oil but the spices part are legendary in Kunming. All kinds of chilies and spices adorn their food. Fat, thin, fresh, dried, etc. The oil probably came from Chinese cultural and social understanding of oil. Food without oil is a disrespect to the guest. It is also a means to flaunt their means as oil was expensive in those days.

Ordering Station - Open menu. Point and choose.

Spicy and pickled.

All manner of soups for orders.

Trays of local delicacies. Don't ask me what's that!

Customary local Soy drink. Served to us like tea.

Short grain rice. A boon to all Malaysians accustomed to bad rice.

Anyone recognised this bean. No prizes. Good stuff eating it fresh rather those fried ones from the Kacang Putih seller.

Stir-fried Bittergourd slices.

Water Spinach or Kangkung.

Eggs with Tomatoes anyone?

Another vegetable dish which I can't name.

I thought this was a mushroom dish.

Kunming Pancake with some tubers and flour. Fantastic texture, feel and taste.

All their soups were bland. This Spinach Soup has zero MSG I presumed.

Customary Spring Rolls.

Beef.

Fish done Kunming Style.

Local Tofu with great texture. Its chewy like mozzarella cheese.

Porky dish. But then where's the spicy and oily stuff. Next change. This was ordered by my western friend who had a triple by-pass not too long ago. My next meal were ordered by the locals and the food was ready to send me to the bin.