Dry pot chicken facts for kids
Dry pot chicken is a super flavorful dish that's a bit like a hot pot, but without the soup! It's also known as hot pot chicken, or by its Chinese names, jī bào (鸡爆) or gān guō jī (干锅鸡). This tasty meal is made by quickly frying chicken with spicy chili pepper and garlic in oil.
Think of it as a "dry" version of a hot pot. While regular "wet" hot pots have a big pot of simmering soup, dry pot chicken is served without any broth. The spices, ingredients, and cooking style are similar, but the dry version focuses on intense flavors from the stir-fried ingredients themselves.
Contents
Where Did Dry Pot Chicken Come From?
People have different ideas about where dry pot chicken first started. Here are the two main theories:
From the Miao People in Guizhou
One idea is that dry pot chicken began with the Miao people, an ethnic group in Guizhou province, China. They had a special way of cooking called "fire pot." They would dig a small pit in their yard and fill it with firewood and charcoal. Then, they'd place a stone or clay pot right on top of the fire. This "fire pot" was an early version of the dry hot pot we know today.
From Sichuan Province
Another theory suggests that dry hot pot dishes came from the northern part of Sichuan province. Many restaurant owners who serve dry pot chicken believe it originated in Chongqing, a big city that used to be part of Sichuan. They often say that while the exact origin might be debated, Chongqing is definitely where the dish became super popular!
How Dry Pot Chicken Spread Across China
No matter where it truly began, dry hot pot dishes started to become famous all over China. This happened a lot when people from rural Sichuan moved to other parts of China, especially the southeast, to find jobs. They brought their delicious traditional hometown dishes with them, and dry pot chicken quickly became a favorite!
