Latiao facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Spicy stick/hot strip/spicy strip/Spicy Gluten Stick | ||||||
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| Type | Snack | ||||||
| Place of origin | China | ||||||
| Region or state | Pingjiang County, Hunan | ||||||
| Main ingredients | Wheat flour, salt, spices | ||||||
| Ingredients generally used | Monosodium glutamate (sodium glutamate), food additives, vegetable oil | ||||||
| 375 kcal (1570 kJ) | |||||||
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| Latiao | |||||||
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Latiao of different lengths
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| Simplified Chinese | 辣条 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 辣條 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Spicy stick/spicy strip | ||||||
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Latiao (pronounced "lah-tee-ow") is a super popular Chinese snack that many people love! It's often called a "spicy stick" or "spicy strip" because of its shape and flavor.
The main ingredients used to make Latiao are wheat flour and chili. To make it, water, salt, sugar, and natural colors are added to the flour. This mixture is then squeezed out at high temperatures. After that, it's mixed with chili and other yummy seasonings. Some preservatives are also added, but these follow China's food safety rules.
Contents
The Story of Latiao
Latiao first came from a place called Pingjiang County in Hunan province, China. It was originally known by another name, mianjin. People in Pingjiang later started calling it mala because it was so spicy and numbing.
Pingjiang has a long history of making spicy sauces and bean curd. In 1998, a big flood hit Hunan. This flood caused a lot of damage to farms, especially to soybeans. Soybeans were a key ingredient for making sauces back then.
How Latiao Was Invented
Because soybeans were hard to find after the flood, farmers needed a new idea. Three clever people named Qiu Pingjiang, Li Mengneng, and Zhong Qingyuan decided to try using wheat flour instead of soy flour.
They used a special machine to squeeze the flour. Then, they added lots of tasty things like chili, pepper, cumin, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil. This is how they invented Latiao!
Latiao quickly became popular all over China in the 1990s. At first, you could only find it in small local shops. But soon, it became so famous that it started selling in big supermarkets too!
Latiao Goes Global
In 2016, a British TV show called BBC showed Latiao in a documentary about Chinese New Year. The hosts were seen enjoying Latiao while exploring a Chinese snack street. This helped Latiao become known to more people around the world.
A manager from a big Latiao company, Min Quanlu, said that demand for Latiao grew so much that they had to switch from packaging it by hand to using machines. He mentioned that his company makes a huge amount of Latiao each year and employs many workers. A good portion of their products are sold outside of China!
Food Safety and Standards
It's very important for all food to be made safely and cleanly. Sometimes, there have been discussions and checks about how Latiao is made in different factories. These checks help make sure that food safety rules are followed.
For example, there have been talks about which food additives are allowed and how they should be used. Different areas in China sometimes have slightly different rules. But the main goal is always to make sure Latiao is safe and good to eat for everyone.
Latiao's Popularity
Latiao is not just a snack; it's also a part of popular culture! On social media, you might see funny sayings about Latiao, like "Taste one Latiao and calm down" or "I have a Latiao, who would like to be my friend?" These phrases show how much people love and joke about this spicy treat.
