Chen Mahua
×Mahua (twisted fried dough)
Why you must eat itWheat dough drawn thin, twisted together in several strands and fried crisp into a stick. It bites firm, snaps sharply and breaks apart in the mouth. Beyond sweet honey there are pepper-salt, mala and seaweed versions — and, true to Chongqing, a spicy mahua. It keeps well and resists going soft in the damp, so it is bought by the bag as a souvenir. Freshly fried samples, one stick at a time, are often out front.
Chen Mahua is the signature souvenir sweet of Ciqikou Old Town, and the Main Street holds several shops of the same or similar names. It is said to have spread across the Bayu region (greater Chongqing) from the late Qing. The dough is twisted and fried by hand, with around eight flavours depending on the shop. Sample, then choose your favourite by the bag. From the town gate along the Main Street, the sound of frying and a sweet smell run down the lane.
- Nearest
- Ciqikou Stn
- Hours
- 08:30-21:00
- Price
- 15–25 CNY a bag