China丨'Demon child' film serves up fresh feasts

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From lotus root dishes to fiery hotpot, the animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 has ignited nationwide culinary trends, turning meals inspired by the film into social media sensations.    The feature has surpassed Avengers: Infinity War to become the sixth highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide, according to the Lighthouse Professional Edition, a box office data provider owned by Alibaba.    In the movie, the body of Ne Zha, a mythical demon child, is reborn from lotus root starch. Off-screen, sales of lotus root starch, lotus root soup and other dishes featuring the plant have surged, with restaurants embracing the ingredient in new and inventive ways.    Meanwhile, a scene featuring the Octopus General — who speaks in a Tianjin dialect — being roasted in the furnace has turned the local specialty of stir-fried squid tentacles into a viral hit. ▲ Fried dishes and desserts made of lotus roots are in great demand nowadays. China Daily    Across the country, restaurants a ………………………………