Shabu shabu is a Japanese variant of hot pot, a delicious meal popular for a Chinese lunch!
What do you usually eat for lunch? A sandwich? A slice of pizza? Now think about the time of day you typically eat lunch. Is it around noon? Maybe earlier, maybe later? In this week’s blog, we will take a look at Chinese lunch customs and rhythms. Much like our earlier post on Chinese breakfasts, hopefully, this gets your stomach rumbling.
These Are Some Popular Meals for a Chinese Lunch
In China, lunch time varies. In an office or school setting, lunch is usually considered to be during the hours of noon to 1 pm. The actual lunch meal is then followed by time for a quick nap from 1 to 2 pm. This is similar to the customary siesta time popular in Spain. Meanwhile, on weekends and when entertaining a guest, lunch time runs a little bit differently. Lunch can last from noon to about 2 pm in these cases.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the actual meals typically found during a Chinese lunch!
- “Handheld” Pancakes: Known as shouzhuabing (show-jwaa-bing) these pancakes originally come from Taiwan. Although they resemble crepes, they typically feature savory fillings instead. This particular meal is best enjoyed on the go. Of course, this being the case, there are a number of possible Western parallels.
- Shared Meals: Family style is a hallmark of Chinese dining customs. What does this mean? Simply put, it means shared meals. Most times, a lazy susan facilitates the sharing, in which everyone has their own bowl of rice but sharing the other dishes on the table. Restaurants that offer these kinds of meals are considered to be more upscale and are mainly for when guests are in town or for when a special occasion merits some celebrating.
- Hot Pot: Yes, hot pot is normally enjoyed at home, but it is still immensely popular in a restaurant setting. Consequently, hot pot can be a meal for lunch or for dinner. After all, aren’t there plenty of Western dishes we enjoy here in the United States that could be considered potential prospects for both lunch and dinner?
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