Popcorn is a famous traditional snack in Tianjin and Beijing, mostly operated by Hui compatriots. As early as the Qianlong dynasty of the Qing Dynasty, it was recorded that halal restaurants and vendors in Beijing operated explosive belly. Beijing tianqiao has "bursting belly stone", door frame hutong has "burst belly Yang", as well as "burst belly Feng", "burst belly full" and so on are the most famous. There are sheep popcorn and beef pop belly, beef pop belly divided into beef hundred leaves and beef tripe kernels, sheep pop belly divided into 9 kinds, sheep scatter Dan, lamb belly collar, yang noodle belly plate, yin side belly board, mushroom, mushroom tip, food letter, gourd, big grass tooth. Popcorn King generally only makes 5 varieties that are easily accepted by the public: beef louver, beef tripe kernel, sheep sandan, lamb belly collar, and lamb belly plate (yang noodle belly board).
Fried belly is the fresh tripe (referring to beef blinds and belly collar) or fresh lamb tripe washed and sorted, cut into strips, fried with boiling water, dipped in oil, sesame paste, vinegar, chili oil, soy sauce tofu soup, coriander minced, green onion and other mixed spices to eat, the texture is tender, the taste is crispy.
Mei Lanfang, Ma Lianliang, Little Mushroom, Little White Jade Cream, Li Wanchun and other celebrities all like to eat. The belly is crisp and fresh, not greasy or greasy, and it is said to cure stomach problems. If a person who eats a popcorn can drink, he always has to drink two or two, and after drinking the wine, eating two freshly baked bread is indeed a big pleasure. Therefore, old Beijing likes to eat popcorn, especially after the lunar calendar autumn, Beijingers pay attention to "eating autumn", there is "to eat autumn, there is a popcorn" saying.
Water bursting belly (bursting belly) has been recorded in the Qianlong Year of the Qing Dynasty, mostly operated by Muslims, and is the best product in the "poor people's music". Water burst belly is a local Snack in Beijing with a unique flavor, and it is very good to drink. It is advisable to drink alone and drink small, and it is not suitable for drinking and chewing, so large and small restaurants are not prepared for this taste. Only taverns and food stalls have water bursts for sale.
The general way to eat lamb tripe, in addition to simmering soup, is only one of the methods of popping. Explosion is divided into oil explosion and water explosion. It is to start with a high temperature and take its crispness and tenderness. Once overheated, it condenses without being brittle and unable to swallow. Oil bursting is the practice of restaurants and restaurants, and water explosion is the specialty of the hawkers in the city, each with its own stunts. Water burst belly is a halal flavor snack unique to Beijing and Tianjin, and is best made with Tianjin "Zhiwei Zhai". The so-called water burst belly, is to cut the lamb tripe or tripe (including the thousand-layered leaflet) into thin wires, put it in boiling water to blanch it, and fry it, just right, in order to keep the belly silk fresh, crisp, tender and refreshing. When eating popcorn, it must be eaten while it is hot and dipped in condiments to form its unique flavor. The ingredients are placed in a small bowl, which contains soy sauce, vinegar, sesame paste, coriander, chili oil, while eating and dipping, the taste is mellow, most people use it with wine, and there are also sesame cakes as dishes. Water burst belly is not only unique in flavor, but also has the ability to strengthen the spleen and nourish the stomach, so it is well received by the masses. Water burst belly is only suitable for lamb tripe and beef louver, but the rest of the tripe should not be water burst. Because of its thick and easy to toughness, it cannot be eaten for a long time. Only the lamb tripe tissue is fine and soft, can be eaten with water bursts, and is white after washing, not like the tripe black gray dull and impatient.
The popcorn stall divides the lamb tripe into four parts and gives it a proper name. Immediately following the first part of the esophagus, it is the largest rumen site with a towel-like small sarcoma, commonly known as the belly plate. The belly plate has two large pieces, and where the two pieces are connected, there is a thicker meat peak, the most tender, called the belly collar. The belly collar is peeled only with the inner clean flesh, and it is white and thick called the belly kernel, which is the best part. The second part is a honeycomb stomach shaped like a chain of squares, called a belly gourd. The third part is a heavy flap stomach, like a page of folded cloth pieces, called "Sandan", can also be called a blind leaf (only this part of the tripe can be eaten explosively), except for the belly kernel, this is the most tender part. The fourth part is the stomach (this is the stomach of ordinary mammals), commonly known as the belly mushroom, presumably referring to its smooth and soft, close to the intestines of a smaller section called the mushroom tip. The most expensive is the belly kernel, followed by the blind leaf, mushrooms, and the belly plate is the cheapest. When selling, it is cooked in boiling water according to the price specified by the customer. The soup of the fried belly is just boiling water with shredded green onions and peppercorns, which is tasteless in itself and relies on the ingredients. The ingredients are mainly tahini, which is not fragrant. Supplemented by soy sauce, chili oil, coriander (coriander), green onions, and milk rot brine. When the belly is fried, the amount of one time should not be too much, only half a small bowl each time, about two or two. Because the belly is fried to remain crisp and tender, it must be eaten in time, slightly cold that is, it will come back to life, and after a long time, it will be old and chewy.
The most famous popcorn shops in Beijing are the two in Dong'an Market, one called "Pop Belly King" and the other called "Pop Belly Feng", both halal stores.