Have you ever heard of the tanghulu? This food is a traditional sweet from the north of China which is made with fruit but in a very peculiar way. Now it is becoming known in Spain through social networks and there are many combinations with which innovate y crear different flavors. Do you want to know more about this tasty food?
What is tanghulu?
El tanghulu It is really a treat that is usually consumed in winter although it can be done and eaten at any time of the year. This food is made of pieces of candied fruit crossed by a spike de bamboo about 20 cm long. It is rich, easy to prepare and aesthetically beautiful, although it depends on the ingredients you decide to incorporate.
It is typical of the northern regions of Asia as Beijing and Tianjin, it is also very common to find it in street stalls and placed on wooden skewers. The main characteristic of tanghulu is that it has an invisible and caramelized solid layer that makes this product something special and that it is really beautiful to look at. If you want to do it at home, to get that layer it is necessary that you have a container of cold water and ice to be able to quickly submerge the skewer after adding the caramel.
The traditional fruit that is used for its elaboration are the Chinese hawthorn berries, but you can create this skewer with all kinds of fruit, even with salty foods, since it can be adapted to all tastes. Below we recommend what you can create yours with.
Why is it known in Spain?
It has become popular mainly through a trend on the social network TikTok and for its crunchiness when eating, due to its exterior texture. It is often tagged with ASMR (Autonomous Meridian Sensory Response) also for those who enjoy auditory stimulation. But not only his is special, but part of the success is also due to its cstriking smell already its surprising hairsalon, perfect for lovers of photography or posing.
Tanghulu with strawberries, a delight
It takes so lonely 25 minutes in obtaining this delicious delicacy, 10 of preparation and 15 of cooking. You can also make it with basic ingredients that you can find in any supermarket. In the case of wanting to make a strawberry tanghulu the ingredients are these: 2 cups of sugar, 1/4 cup of water, 1/3 cup of corn syrup and several strawberries.
To make this recipe, the first step is to combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan. With this the syrup that you have to boil until it reaches about 300 degrees. Later, you have to pour and place the layer created on top of the strawberries already punctured on the bamboo or on the wooden stick and do it quickly and efficiently so that it covers all the fruit. Lastly, dip the skewers in the ice water.
It is important not to use spoons throughout this process so that the crystallization work. Also, due to the thin skin of strawberries you have to 2 to 3 hours maximum to enjoy your delicious tanghulu without losing its essence.
Other surprising recipes
Although strawberries are the star product among the fruit to create this delight, there are other great recipes to innovate in your kitchen. One such example might be substituting strawberries for lemon, in such a way that the acidity of this fruit with the sweetness of caramel. Or use by mango, a classic combination that does not fail. In addition, in this last recipe, the hardness of the solidified caramel is combined with the soft part of the mango.
But if you want to take a risk and try something other than fruit, a great option is to do nothing more and nothing less than caramelized bacon. Although, for this dish to be ideal, it is necessary that you first cook the bacon in the oven and then bathe it in caramel. In this way, a tanghulu delicious that coordinates the sweet with the salty. As you can see, there are many recipes that you can obtain to enjoy this fantastic chinese sweet. It takes a short time and you can upload it yourself to your social networks before taking the first bite. What do you think of the proposal?
