Guobaorou: two fryings and the memory of official cuisine
A Harbin cook’s two-stage frying method gives guobaorou its crisp shell, while old photographs and tableware place the dish within the city’s culinary memory.
Guobaorou in Harbin
Guobaorou gets its crisp coating from two stages of frying: the batter is first set, then crisped before the sauce is added. The dish has become part of Harbin’s dining memory, where a kitchen technique is carried from restaurant tables into local food culture.