Babaocai facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Babaocai
Chinese	八寶菜
Transcriptions

A Japanese version of Babaocai, called Happosai.

Babaocai (Chinese: 八寶菜; pinyin: bābǎocài) is a delicious Chinese dish. It is made by quickly frying different vegetables and seafood in a hot pan. This cooking style is called stir-frying.

Babaocai is known for having many ingredients. The name "Babao" (八寶) means "eight treasures." "Cai" (菜) means "vegetables" or "dishes." So, Babaocai means "eight treasure dish." It usually has seafood like sea cucumbers, shrimp, and squid. It also includes vegetables such as bamboo shoots. Sometimes, a little chili oil is sprinkled on top for extra flavor.

This dish is also popular in other countries. In Korea, it is called Palbochae (팔보채). In Japan, it is known as Happosai.

The Story of Babaocai

There are a few ideas about how Babaocai first started. One story says it began during the end of the Qing Dynasty in China. The birth mother of an emperor was famous for loving food. She would order many different side dishes, sometimes up to 120 kinds! Her chefs would use leftover ingredients to create new dishes.

Another idea is that Babaocai started with farmers. Around the 11th century, farmers in Liaoning province would eat various foods. They would share these foods while chatting during their work breaks. This might have led to combining many ingredients into one tasty dish.