The zhōu looks delightful... what exactly is it, though? A white (rice-based?) porridge? And what are the mix-ins? The yóutiáo looks like frybread, done crisp, very nice. Do you dip?
Essentially
zhōu is a porridge, normally made from well-cooked rice, but in northern China (where it is too cold for rice cultivation) cornmeal, millet, barley, or sorghum are often used instead. Depending on how it is prepared, it can be a thin broth, or thick like Western porridge. Many different things can be mixed with the
zhōu, including meat, eggs, fish, beans, and vegetables. The "mix-ins" in the photo are
ròusōng (shredded dried meat; normally pork except among Muslim Chinese who use beef or chicken), and
zhàcài (pickled mustard stem).
Yóutiáo is indeed a "frybread" (I had to look that up, I had never heard the term before), and you certainly can dip. Here is a
"breakfast of champions" Guandong-style, comprising
zhōu broth, fish, egg, and meat (probably liver
), served with
yóutiáo.