China's last dynasty, the Qing, ruled the country for nearly 300 years. They were Manchu nomads from the north with a taste for roasted and boiled meats and sweet pastries. Some of their favorite foods, like shaqima (pronounced "shar-chee-ma"), were adopted by the Han Chinese majority. This soft, chewy sweet—which you can get in many restaurants around the city—is made from deep-fried dough strands bound with syrup, left to set, then cut into blocks.