Chengdu Wet Market Tour: Food Prices and Handmade Wontons

Channel: Ms.Mei-Life in China Published: June 22, 2026 Duration: 19:43 Views: 37.7K

What this video shows

Mei, a 40-year-old woman living in Chengdu, spends a day shopping at a local wet market and then cooking at home. She starts with breakfast at the market — a small bowl of pork intestine noodles — before moving through the stalls to buy dumplings, fruit, vegetables, seasonings, and wonton wrappers. Back home she stores the groceries, makes a pork filling with egg white, salt, and starch, and folds the wrappers by hand. She finishes by boiling the wontons and eating them, then notes that her purchases should last five or six days.

At a glance

LocationChengdu, China
SettingLarge city (wet market and home kitchen)
What it coversMarket food prices, grocery shopping, and making wontons from scratch
Costs mentionedPork intestine noodles RMB 14 (about $1.93); extra pork intestine RMB 3 (about $0.41); dumplings RMB 17 (about $2.34) for 30 pieces; brown sugar RMB 3.2 (about $0.44); cherries RMB 26.8 (about $3.68); grapes RMB 7.8 (about $1.07); blueberries RMB 15.6 (about $2.14); green Sichuan peppercorns RMB 7.4 (about $1.02); scallions, ginger and garlic RMB 15 (about $2.06); bag of vegetables RMB 15.5 (about $2.12); 40 wonton wrappers RMB 2 (about $0.27); watermelon RMB 6.6 (about $0.90); lychees RMB 17.5 (about $2.39); monosodium glutamate RMB 2.5 (about $0.34); total spend RMB 150 (about $20.47); apron $4.1; meat grinder RMB 29 (about $4.03)
Time of dayMorning market visit through cooking and eating at home

What stands out

Pork intestine noodles are described as a go-to local breakfast, and organ meat is treated as an ordinary, appealing food rather than an unusual one. Fruit is the priciest part of the haul — cherries are called a little pricey, though still cheaper than supermarkets, and a vendor lets her taste one before buying. She buys dumplings ready-made but still folds her own wontons, saying the process feels like a relaxing handicraft. Sichuan peppercorns go into most dishes, and a RMB 29 meat grinder strikes her as surprisingly cheap.

Video transcript

Hello everyone my name is Mei I'm 40 years old I live in Chengdu, China Let's visit a Chinese market together today A small bowl of pork intestine noodles:14 RMB ($1.93 ) Look at the floating pork intestines It looks so tempting It smells wonderful this is the go-to breakfast for locals One bite and it perks me right up The taste is full-bodied It's smooth and springy on the palate I added an extra small pork intestine for 3 RMB ($0.41 ) Lots of people in other countries don't eat organ meats Do you like eating them? It smells amazing The fat and carbs

really perk me up Time to start shopping Dumplings:17 RMB ($2.34 ) for 30 pieces I'll freeze them in the fridge when I get home Just boil some when hungry, super convenient Brown sugar for 3.2 RMB ($0.44) Cherries for 26.8 RMB ($3.68) It's a little pricey but cheaper than in supermarkets The owner let me try one. It's so sweet A bunch of grapes for 7.8 RMB ($1.07) Blueberries for 15.6 RMB ($2.14) I really love fruits These will keep me going for days Mushroom specialty store Green Sichuan peppercorns for 7.4 RMB ($1.02) Scallions ginger and garlic are

everyday flavoring ingredients These cost 15 RMB ($2.06) in total This big bag of vegetables is 15.5 RMB ($2.12) 40 wonton wrappers for 2 RMB ($0.27) I'll cook these as soon as I get home Watermelon for 6.6 RMB ($0.90) I tried these lychees, they taste really sweet Lychees for 17.5 RMB ($2.39) A pack of monosodium glutamate : 2.5 RMB ($0.34) I'm heading home now I'll tally up my expenses for today These cost 150 RMB ($20.47) today I think this will last me five or six days The fridge is full of food I feel totally at peace I found a nice container for

dumplings I'll stir-fry some fresh sweet potato leaves later Simple yet tasty Sichuan peppercorns go into most of our dishes The greens are all prepared This is my new apron I bought yesterday($4.1) I think it looks pretty good Do you like it I'm making meat filling now This mini meat grinder is also very handy Guess how much it cost This meat grinder only costs 29 RMB ($4.03) I wonder why it's so cheap Only add egg whites Make the meat filling tender and compact Salt and starch The key is to stir in one direction consistently This will create a

springier texture It's ready when it gets sticky like this You may have noticed They were sold at the market just now Why do I still make them myself I just enjoy the process of making it It's just like doing handcrafts It's really relaxing Do you feel the same way Look how beautiful they are I'm going to eat my creations soon 31 pieces I feel like I have another option I could work at a dumpling shop in the market someday 😊 Looks like a little boat Scoop some soup to dilute the seasonings Roast pork The wontons have clumped together Wow it's so

delicious The meat filling is chewy and fragrant I wish you could have a taste😂 Eating well is living well Homemade delicacies are filled with happiness in ordinary days Do you prefer ready-made ingredients or cooking from scratch?

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