Reading @KennethT's request for help in locating beef skin in New York City to make krupuk kulit, an Indonesian cracker, prompted this. I certainly can’t help with NYC shopping, but it got me thinking that I wouldn’t know how to source it here either. It’s not something I’ve ever seen and none of the online delivery people seem to offer it.
Searching for 牛皮 (niú pí), the literal translation doesn’t help much in that it usually just means ‘leather’ in Chinese. I did see a lot of ‘interesting’ clothing, though.
The only edible application I know of here is 牛皮晶 (niú pí jīng) or ‘beef skin crystal’ a chewy Sichuanese snack sold in small stores. It comes in two types
This one is flavoured with litsea seed, giving it a mildly citrus taste.
litsea seeds
The other is the more typically Sichuan spicy ‘mala’ flavour.
Neither are any help to @KennethT!
