A new snack served on the streets of Chengdu, in China, has been getting a lot of attention because of its unusual appearance; it looks like a lump of black human hair.
Known as Fa Cai or Fat Choy, this food comes from a type of dried algae that has been a staple in Chinese cooking for a long time.
Mainly found in China’s dry regions like Gansu, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia, the ingredient is air-dried after it’s picked, giving it a thin, dark, stringy look.
Because of this appearance, it’s often called the “hair vegetable” and is scientifically named Nostoc flagelliforme. Traditionally, Fat Choy is used in soups and broths, especially on New Year’s Eve for good luck, as its Cantonese name sounds like the word for “wealth.”
The name “hair vegetable” comes from Fa Cai’s dry, thread-like appearance, which closely resembles black hair. Once it’s soaked in water, however, it transforms into something more like black noodles, commonly seen in soups. Recently, though, some Chengdu street vendors have found a new way to cook it that keeps its unique hair-like shape.
You can actually just grill a bunch of Fa Cai and then season it with some spicy sauce, eating it much like you would a clump of black hair.
It might look strange, but people who’ve tried it claim it tastes good. The odd experience of biting into something that looks like hair has attracted many influencers and sparked a trend on social media.
