Two-dish rice

Two-dish rice is not a new thing. This is reminiscent of the 1950s, when open-air food stalls were an important lifeline for the city's poor. In the post-WWII era, Hong Kong experienced a massive influx of refugees and migrants. Open-air stalls emerged as a temporary policy to feed the booming, low-income population. Rice with two sides emerged as a grassroots staple in Hong Kong during the 1960s. Originally known as a poor man’s meal, it was designed to be an affordable, filling option for blue-collar workers, students, and lower-income individuals. The concept gained widespread popularity in factory canteens and small stalls near schools, where it was prized for being cheap, decent quality, and straightforward, often described as good value for money (平靚正; pronounced Peng Leng Jeng in Cantonese). The meal typically consists of a large portion of rice paired with two selected Cantonese side dishes. Two‑dish rice was popular for a while after the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic spread to Hong Kong in February 2003.