Hong Kong News

Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Hong Kong’s ‘two-dish-rice’ is fully deserving of intangible heritage status

Hong Kong’s ‘two-dish-rice’ is fully deserving of intangible heritage status

The two-dish-rice box, beloved by Hong Kong residents and, lately, diplomats alike, is an icon of the city – it should be declared part of our intangible cultural heritage.

Current trends show an increasing awareness about eating healthier foods. And, as more people adopt healthier lifestyles, being mindful of portion control has become a top priority.

Many people adhere to the popular saying: “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.” They are aware, perhaps, that nighttime eating – typically in front of the television or a laptop – results in poorer food choices, weight gain and other undesirable outcomes.

However, there is some truth in the old joke that “Chinese people will eat anything that has four legs other than tables and chairs”. To this day, many of us continue to be unconcerned with rigid eating rules, chomping away on whatever is within reach, whenever hunger pangs strike.

Despite assaults made on the traditional diet by processed and fast foods, eating is no joke to the Chinese. Food is regarded as their heaven; the sourcing, preparation and consumption rituals of many meals being elevated to the status of sacred custom.


Customers line up to order “two-dish-rice” in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. Tasty, filling, quick and comforting; the rice box often reminds people of home cooking.

It is hard to find “bad” Chinese food anywhere in the world. The substandard will not last long, because every Chinese person likes to think of himself or herself as a food connoisseur and critic.

Having said that, mediocre Chinese food outlets do exist – mainly to cater to foreign customers who cannot tell good from bad.

In Hong Kong, even cheap, roadside eats can rock your palate. One of the most affordable meals is the versatile, bargain-basement, two-dish-rice box – known colloquially as “this this rice” because of the way people make their orders by pointing their finger at the dishes and saying: “I want this and this” to the servers.

These meal boxes generally cost between HK$25 (US$3) and HK$40.

Last week, to the delight of many Hongkongers, “this this rice” made its way into diplomatic circles after the US Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gregory May, took a trip to one of the more modest eateries in Central to pick up a two-dish-rice meal box.
US Consul General Gregory May bought his “two-dish-rice” box in Central and documented it on Facebook.


May documented his eat-like-a-local adventure on his Facebook page, posting photos as proof of his “this this” ordering prowess. The consul general’s down-to-earth Hong Kong lunchtime experience became an instant hit with local residents, and earned him many new fans.

Indeed, May’s arrival in Hong Kong, a few months ago, had gone practically unnoticed until his “this this” debut turned him into a “local” – at least on a culinary level. It goes to show the value of food as a super-connector and conversation starter.

The humble rice box has been a staple of the city’s low-income sector for years, as well as a saviour for those who often experience cash flow problems before the arrival of their end-of-the-month pay cheque.

Following an economic slump triggered by the pandemic, the popularity of the meal among the general population has only increased.

The meal-in-a-box may be a pauper’s choice, but it tastes fabulously rich. To begin with, there are not many types of global cuisine – outside the Subway sandwich – that offer such a wide array of choices to customise your two-dish-rice set.

The hungry patron is often confronted by a bewildering selection of at least 10 different Cantonese dishes to add to their rice. It’s a poor man’s buffet with the underlying assurance that the quality is never poor. Tasty, filling, quick and comforting; the rice box often reminds people of home cooking.

The US consul general’s down-to-earth Hong Kong lunchtime experience became an instant hit with local residents.


Very often, if you ask the server for a more generous portion of rice, or a slightly larger scoop from one of your chosen dishes, they will comply without hesitation. That’s the common heartwarming experience of this dining model, and truly like eating at home and being served by Mum.

The everyday meal box may not appear glamorous at first sight, but it forms part of the social glue that binds people together. In difficult times, it fills not just empty stomachs but the soul of the city as well.

When the government banned dine-in services for the first time at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hongkongers were concerned about being restricted from visiting their favourite restaurants of an evening.

Not only is the rice box an icon of the city, it is the epitome of the Hong Kong spirit.


As the economy reeled, the hardest hit were often those in low- and middle-income families.

It was at this point that the uniquely Hong Kong “this this rice” dining came to the rescue. Its typically takeaway service model was ideally suited to cater for those desiring a hot meal, yet who were unwilling to sacrifice the wide dish selection offered by more costly, suddenly banned dine-in establishments.

Not only is the rice box an icon of the city, it is the epitome of the Hong Kong spirit. And, following its emergence in the international diplomatic arena, the next step for “this this rice” must surely be its placement on Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list!

Newsletter

Related Articles

Hong Kong News
0:00
0:00
Close
It's always the people with the dirty hands pointing their fingers
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
'I am not your servant': IndiGo crew member, passenger get into row over airline meal
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
BMW driver…
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
×