Shrimp Crackers - They Are Addicting!

These are probably one of my all-time favorite Asian snacks. No wait. Shrimp crackers are definitely one of my favorite snacks ever. Why? If you haven't experienced eating one already, then let me recap.

It's like biting into a light, crunchy, salty, shrimp tasting potato chip (but in the shape of a french fry)! Simple as that.

Sure, it may be unhealthy, but why then do we always gravitate towards chips and other junk foods? Because, they sure are mighty tasty!

They are also great snacks on-the-go as well! They really hold up their taste weeks after you first open the bag (I don't know if that's entirely a good thing though).

My friends have told me to stay away from these shrimp crackers. "MSG!" they all say, "Oh no! You are going to die!"

But how can someone stay away from something so...tasty?

So, I simply forget my friends' advice, stick my hand back into the bag, and sulk in the injustice of it all. I just think, Hey I could be eating worse. At least they are not french fries, right?

The Power of Green Tea

Who loves green tea? I sure do! We’ve all drank this before (or at least heard of this) right? It really is the quintessence of Asian tea. Doesn’t the thought of it just give you that Asian vibe? Well, whether it does or not, this popular tea also has powers of its own. Did you know that green tea has many PROVEN health benefits? The Chinese have been using green tea in their medicine for well over 4,000 years! Here are some reasons why you should drinking green tea as well:

Green Tea Helps You:

- Lower cholesterol
- Reduce the risk of cancer
- Treat rheumatoid arthritis
- Strengthen immune function
- Treat infection
- Prevent tooth decay
- Prevent heart attack and stroke
- On your diet! (It lowers the negative effects of a fatty diet)

It is no wonder why the rate of heart disease in Japanese men is quite low despite the fact that roughly 75% of them or smokers. Wow! That’s all I can say.

“But what makes green tea so…powerful?” you may ask. Well, green tea is filled with the anti-oxidant epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG. Anti-oxidants, as you probably know, are really good for you. (That’s why we eat fruits!) EGCG is no exception. EGCG is the reason behind why green tea can reduce the risk of cancer and other cardiovascular disease.

As you can see, green tea really is good for you! So don’t feel guilty when you’re sitting in an Asian restaurant sipping tea. Even with its caffeine content, green tea can lengthen your life! Now, I won’t feel as guilty when I spoon down a whole carton of green tea ice cream!

Chicken feet.

Yes, you heard me right. Chicken feet! “Is that even edible?” you ask? It most certainly is. Ok, before you go throw up or try to close this window in fright, let me tell you that people do eat chicken feet. And it’s really really good!

Chicken feet are usually used in Chinese cuisine. They are mainly comprised of skin and tendon – there’s very little actual chicken meat. Thus, when you’re eating it, I find it to have an almost gummy texture (in the most appetizing way of course). Plus, just a heads up, chicken feet also has a lot of small bones (each joint of the toe is a bone). So, you may find yourself picking out bones for a while (but that can be fun, right!). Yeah, the chicken feet dining experience is certainly nothing like the usual KFC night.

The only place I can find (and eat) chicken feet are at dim sum restaurants. If you don’t know what dim sum are, they are basically just “small bites” of Chinese dishes – kind of like the tapas found in Spanish cuisine. In these restaurants, they first fry the cleaned (and de-nailed) chicken feet before marinating and cooking them in a thick and sweet black bean sauce. Oh, I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

They are sweet, savory, a little spicy, black beany, and just the perfect snack to chew on!

Still not convinced about eating chicken feet? Well, what if I told you that they are also good for you too! It’s true. Chicken feet have a high amount of collagen, which helps your skin stay firm and wrinkle free!

So, next time you happen to find yourself in a Chinese dim sum place, don’t forget to order the chicken feet! After you get over the fact that they are chicken feet, you may even come to love this stuff (I say may). Plus, you could be eating worse right? Just the other day, my friend almost found herself eating pig testicles.