Grilled ice cubes claimed as northeastern China’s specialty was exposed as fabrication.

Bizarre video filmed in the city of Changsha in Hunan Province on November 29, shows a street vendor grilling ice cubes on charcoal, and seasoning them with chilli, cumin, and other spices.

After a customer tried it, she said: “interesting taste.”

The vendor claimed the grilled ice cubes to be a speciality from Northeast China and sold them for 15 yuan (£1.67) per serving.

Mr Zhao, a senior engineer at Harbin Standardisation Research Institute and one of the drafters of the management regulations for the certification of landmark food brands in Heilongjiang, responded, stating, "There is no such thing as grilled ice cube snacks in the northeast. This is a fabrication by the street vendor."

Many netizens from northeast China rushed to debunk it as well. As one person commented: "Locals from Heilongjiang, born and raised, can confirm that there's no such thing in the northeast", while another one said: "I've lived in the northeast for so many years, and I've never seen this dish.”

The video was provided by local media with permission.

近日，湖南长沙，一摊贩卖起了烤冰溜子小吃，并声称是东北特色，不少顾客慕名而来。制作方式上也比较简单，就是像烤肉一样，把冰块放到碳火上烤，然后撒上辣椒孜然等调料，卖15元一份。
11月29日，黑龙江地标美食品牌认定管理规范起草人、哈尔滨市标准化研究院正高级工程师赵先生回应称：“东北没有这种所谓的烤冰块小吃，这是小摊贩杜撰的。”