Hunyuan Liangfen
Iced, slippery and sharp with vinegar — Hunyuan's answer to summer
Hunyuan county, an hour southeast of Datong on the road to the Hanging Temple, has a
dish the rest of Shanxi envies: liangfen — a chilled, wobbly jelly made from potato
starch, served in generous cubes under a sharp dressing of vinegar, garlic and chili oil.
The texture is the whole point: slippery and barely set, it slides down easily in hot weather,
which is exactly when locals eat it. The toppings make it a proper snack — crunchy fried broad beans
(lianhua dou), strips of dried tofu, crushed peanuts and a heap of coriander, so every
spoonful mixes soft, crunchy and fiery.
What to know
- It is served cold, straight from the counter — you will often eat it standing up at a street
stall. - The chili oil is assertive but the vinegar leads; if you want it mild, ask for bu la
(not spicy) before the dressing goes on. - A bowl costs a few yuan, making it the cheapest item on this site’s food list.
- It is naturally vegetarian.
Where
The classic place to eat it is Hunyuan itself, in the small snack shops around the Hanging
Temple — a bowl before or after the climb is a local ritual. In Datong city, look for it at
street-food stalls and cold-dish counters in the old city.
Where to try it
The classic bowl is in Hunyuan county, on the road to the Hanging Temple — snack shops around the site sell it all day. In Datong city, look for it at street-food stalls and cold-dish counters in the old city.
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