liuzhou

Brillat Savarin Affiné with Scottish oatcakes. My latest addiction.

浙菜 (zhè cài) Zhejiang (浙江 - zhè jiāng) Cuisine Zhejiang is found south-west of Shanghai and borders Jiangsu, as mentioned above. Another contributor to the Jiangnan group of cuisines, Zhejiang is an important culinary centre and one of the supposed eight cuisines. Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the most similar to each other of the eight listed cuisines (hence the Jiangnan name), even to the point that both claim to be the origin of certain dishes such as Beggar’s Chicken and Lion’s Head Meatballs. I have researched these at length and allocated them to the most likely real origin. Four recognised centres culinary of excellence in Zhejiang are 杭州 (háng zhōu), Hangzhou the provincial capital (and capital of Song dynasty (960–1279 CE) China; nearby 绍兴 (shào xīng), Shaoxing; and 金华 (jīn huá), Jinhua, with 宁波 (níng bō), Ningbo the runner up. Of these four, only Jinhua is not coastal. Hangzhou is usually considered to be the most refined. Its most famous dish has to be 东坡肉 (dōng pō ròu). Su Dongpo 苏轼 (sū shì), Su Shi (1037 -1101 CE) was a statesman and poet who pissed off the Emperor and was exiled to Hangzhou. His literary name was 苏东坡 (sū dōng pō), Su Dongpo. While in Hangzhou representing the emperor, he dedicated himself to improving the lives of Hangzhou residents. He also wrote poems praising the city’s beauty, especially the West Lake which lies in the city. To this date, he is revered as one of China’s literary giants. There are various legends attributing the invention or, at least, the inspiration of a pork dish to the poet-statesman. Whatever the truth, the dish bears his name still. Although the dish is relatively simple, it does take around four hours to prepare, so few people prepare it at home. However, almost every restaurant in Hangzhou has it on its menu. DongPo Pork consists of fatty pork belly (50% fat to 50% flesh is considered optimum) which is cut into 5 cm / 2 inch cubes then slowly simmered in a mix of water, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, ginger and scallions for around 3½ to 4 hours. The dish turns dark chocolate brown and the fat takes on a melt-in-the-mouth texture and sensation. Despite the amount of fat, it is not greasy. Usually served as part of a family meal with other dishes and rice. Dongpo Pork West Lake also provides the protein for the almost equally famous Hangzhou dish, 西湖醋鱼 (xī hú cù yú), literally ‘West Lake Vinegar Fish’, but often more accurately referred to as ‘sweet and sour fish’. The lake also provides 玛蹄草 (mǎ tí cǎo), literally ‘horse hoof grass’ (describing its shape), or 莼菜 (chún cài), This is Water Shield, Brasenia schreberi, a mucilaginous aquatic plant which is used in soup, famously with beef, but also with chicken and ham together. Water Shield Near West lake is the village of 龙井 (lóng jǐng), the origin of the prized 龙井茶 (lóng jǐng chá), Dragon’s Well Tea. Not only is it used to make a cuppa, but also features in a dish I love and have frequently cooked. 龙井虾仁 (lóng jǐng xiā rén), Fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea and Shaoxing Wine. Longjing Shrimp Heading south-east a little we come to Shaoxing, a small but culinarily important city. Here is, of course, the home of Shaoxing wine, used across China and abroad as the premium cooking wine, but also comes in superior grades for drinking. There is a Shaoxing wine topic here which gives more information on the various grades etc. Shaoxing Wine Probably the dish that uses most Shaoxing is 醉鸡 (zuì jī), Drunken Chicken. This is basically de-boned chicken legs cooked in a 50/50 mixture of chicken stock and Shaoxing wine with ginger, scallions, jujubes and goji berries. The chicken is boiled for ten minutes the left to cool in the broth for a further ten to complete the cooking. It is then put into an ice bath for a final ten minutes and served cold. Popular at banquets and celebratory meals. Do not make this with salted Shaoxing wine as only found in North America. It will be inedible. If you can find unsalted wine, then use the best grade possible. Drunken Chicken Heading south-west from Shaoxing we arrive in Jinhua, situated almost in the dead centre of Zhejiang, far from the sea or rivers. This is famous for its 金华火腿 (jīn huá huǒ tuǐ), Jinhua Ham. Made from the legs of a local breed of pig, 两头乌 (liǎng tóu wū), an amusing name to describe the breed. It means ‘both ends black’ as the breed has distinctive black heads and hindquarters, the trunk and legs being the usual pig pink. The first record of the salt-cured ham dates to the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). Widely considered to be China’s best ham, it has been compared favourably with Spain’s Jamón Ibérico. Jinhua Ham Jinhua is also noted for its rice. There are archaeological records to show that rice has been grown here for around 10,000 years. The area is also known for various meat pies and stuffed omelettes. Finally, while in Jinhua, I must mention 一根面能供百 (yī gēn miàn), Longevity Noodles made in Jinhua’s 潘周家 (pān zhōu jiā) village. The noodles are extra-long to indicate long life. In 2014, a noodle maker from the village made a single narrow ribbon-like noodle using one kilogram flour, The noodle was 200 meters long and fed 100 people. Being coastal, Ningbo obviously is famous for seafood, but two standout dishes are its fried eels, 炒鳗鱼 (chǎo mán yú) and braised turtle, 甲鱼 (jiǎ yú ).

川味回锅肉 (chuān wèi huí guō ròu), Sichuan Twice-Cooked Pork. Literally Sichuan Taste Return (to the) Pot Meat) Fatty pork belly, lean pork leg meat, celery, garlic, chilli, ginger, douban jiang, scallions, fermented black beans. Twice-cooked refers to the the technique of first boiling the pork belly, then slicing it then stir frying it with the other ingredients. Served with rice.

苏菜 (sū cài), - Jiangsu (江苏 - jiāng sū) Cuisine I found myself in something of a quandary. Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisines are both included in the list of eight (first post) but in modern times they tend to be grouped together, along with the unlisted Shanghai cuisine into 江南菜 (jiāng nán cài), Jiangnan cuisine, literally meaning ‘south of the river cuisine’, the river in question being the 长江 (cháng jiāng) or, as its known in the west, the Yangtze river. Yangtze (Mandarin: 扬子江 (yáng zǐ jiāng) more correctly only refers to the lower reaches of the river. Anyway, in the end, I decided go with the ‘Eight Cuisines’ theory and separate them, largely because the three cuisines involved in Jiangnan do have significant differences, and despite the name meaning the south, does include one city which is actually on the river’s north bank! So here, it is Jiangsu I am looking at. Jiangsu province is in the east of China, north-west of Shanghai and south of Shandong province discussed above. It has a long coastline with the Yellow sea and is bisected by the Yangtze river, meaning that aquatic food is plentiful. It and the rest of Jiangnan are commonly referred to as ‘the land of rice and fish’. Yangzhou 扬州, Nanjing 南京 and Suzhou 苏州 cities are the main centres of culinary excellence in Jiangsu. I will take each in turn, but first some general notes of the combined cuisine. Jiangsu cuisine places great emphasis on perfection of ingredients, knife skills and cooking. Dishes must be neither over or undercooked. Dishes are neither excessively salted or sugared. Sauces must be light and certainly not greasy. Meat dishes are generally simply sauced with the meat’s own juices rather than a created ‘gravy’ style sauce. Yangzhou lies on the north bank of the Yangtze but gets honorary membership of the Jiangnan style. Its cuisine, also known as 淮扬菜 (huái yáng cài), is well-known throughout China and beyond. Its meals are highly pleasing and colourful to the eye as well as the palate. Its soups are renowned but its most famous dish is one most people in the west have eaten, whether they know it or not. This is 扬州炒饭 (yáng zhōu chǎo fàn), Yangzhou Fried Rice, China’s most luxurious rice dish, sadly often bastardised in western Chinese restaurants into ‘special fried rice’ or simply ‘house fried rice’. Many online recipes for the “authentic” dish include char siu which is Cantonese and not used in Yangzhou. There. they would use Jinhua ham, China’s premium ham from the city of Jinhua in Zhejiang. That said, the real thing generally uses simple, fresh ingredients, mainly ham and vegetables and seldom eggs. It is lightly seasoned with salt. Shrimp are often added but not essential. It is served as a prized dish in its own right; not something to throw your day-glo sweet and sour on! Yangzhou Fried Rice Once the capital of China (from 1368 to 1421 when Beijing took over. Nanjing means southern capital; whereas Beijing means northern capital), Nanjing is now demoted to capital of Jiangsu andlies on the south bank of the river. Its dishes are more robustly flavoured but never heavy. It leans towards a more al dente texture rather than tenderness. As a former capital, it has absorbed more outside influences than the rest of Jiangsu. Duck is a local speciality. Peking duck was invented here and taken back to Beijing when it became the emperor’s residence where it was renamed. Originally it was 精灵鸭 (jīng líng yā), the name under which it is still available in Nanjing restaurants. Nanjing salted duck, a dish in which the duck is marinated with fried salt then boiled with ginger and scallions, is very popular in the city and highly appreciated as is duck blood soup. The city’s nighttime food markets and food streets are among China’s best. Suzhou, a beautiful canal and garden city in southern Jiangsu, is a popular side trip for people visiting Shanghai. Its cuisine is slightly sweeter and is noted for its strict use of seasonal vegetables. To fully appreciate Suzhou food, you have to visit several times throughout the year as it is constantly changing, depending on availability. Some dishes found throughout Jiangsu include: 松鼠鳜鱼 (sōng shǔ guì yú) - Squirrel Fish aka 松子鱼 (sōng zǐ yú) aka 菊花鱼 (jú huā yú) - Chrysanthemum Fish. The fish in question is usually Mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi, a freshwater species, although sometimes other fish are substituted. The body of the fish is skillfully scored in such a way that, when deep fried, the flesh opens up to resemble the tail of a squirrel or the petalled segments of an open pine cone. Prepared well, it can make for a spectacular banquet dish. After frying, it is coated with a 糖醋 (táng cù) Sweet & Sour sauce. Squirrel Fish 叫花鸡 (jiào huā jī ), Beggar’s Chicken is from Changshu in Jiangsu. There is an attached legend that some beggar or thief stole a chicken and on noticing the Emperor and his guards approaching, quickly covered it in mud to disguise it and dropped into his fire. When the danger was over, he retrieved the chicken and to his surprise it was perfectly cooked. Sounds far-fetched to me and there are variants on the story including that the Emperor somehow also ate the chicken and pronounced it delicious. I have eaten it and agree with the Emperor. The chicken is covered in yellow mud and lotus leaves and roasted. Often today, metal foil is used instead of the mud, but purists reject that. Beggars Chicken 狮子头 (shī zi tóu), Lion’s Head Meatballs are also well-known throughout China. There are two versions of this dish. The first is large pork meatballs braised and served in a broth with Chinese cabbage. This is the original version. In the second the same meatballs are braised in soy sauce, the so-called ‘red cooking’ technique so popular in Shanghai. Jiangsu is the origin of China's best known black vinegar from the city of Zhenjiang. 镇江香醋 (zhèn jiāng xiāng cù), Zhenjiang vinegar (for their own reasons called Chenkiang vinegar in America) is sold worldwide. The vinegar has been manufactured in Jiangsu for around 1,400 years. It is used in many dishes. Zhenjiang Vinegar 小笼包 (xiǎo lóng bāo), Little Basket Dumplings are usually associated with Shanghai where they are indeed very popular, but they originated in Jiangsu according to most authoritive reports, although Kaifeng in Henan province also has a claim. Shanghai probably invented the soup filled version, more correctly called 汤包 (tāng bāo). I talked about this more in this post. Often served with a dip of soy sause and Zhenjiang vinegar (above). Xiao Long Bao There are hundreds more Jiangsu dishes. Sparrow in hot sauce or perhaps, braised turtle may take your fancy, too. Fuchsia Dunlop’s Land of Fish and Rice (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) is an excellent treatise on Jiangnan food in general and includes recipes for many Jiangsu dishes.

Yes, I know Hong Kong has mostly scrapped the carts, but many remain here on the mainland, albeit no longer universal.

Toisanese is a sub-dialect of Cantonese. Note: The posts on the different Chinese cuisines have been moved (at my request) to this new topic

Years ago, I mentioned Brussels Sprouts to some friends in China and they all thought I was joking, so on a trip to England I bought some and photographed one in my hand to show them. That didn't work; they said I had just Photoshopped a regular cabbage onto a picture of my empty hand at different scales. A couple of years ago I found some here, and they accepted they might exist but were maybe just cabbages which had just been born! I can't imagine what they would say about teen tiny sprouts.

秦菜 (qín cài) – Shaanxi (陕西) Cuisine Public Domain Image I spent the first year of my time in China in Xi’an. When I arrived I was astonished to find that the food in no way resembled anything I’d ever eaten before, despite regularly eating ‘Chinese’ food in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. I was delighted and still firmly believe it is one of China’s best (a million times more interesting than Cantonese, usually (mythically) considered number one by so many people.) Yet, it isn't included in the 'eight cusines' list. Shaanxi Province (not to be confused with 山西 (shān xī), the neighbouring province of Shanxi), is in north-central China and the capital 西安 (xī ān) Xi’an is home to the Terracotta Army. The city was formerly known as 长安 (cháng ān) and was China’s capital during 13 dynasties but starting with the 秦朝 (qín cháo), the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE). Founded by 秦始皇 (qín shǐ huáng), Qin Shihuang (259-210 BC), who became the first Chinese emperor on its founding. The Tang dynasty, 唐朝 (táng cháo) (618-907) city is still considered one of the most cultured for its innovation, literature and food. Emperor Qin ordered the building of The Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Warriors were created to guard his lavish tomb, just outside Xi’an. This lay for over 2000 until farmers digging a well in 1974, discovered what is now considered one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. Qin Shihuang - PD Of course, today it is a major tourist city and this has led to the cuisine often being referred to simply as 西安菜 (xī ān cài) or 西安美食 (xī ān měi shí – Xi’an culinary delicacies) although not all of its most well-known dishes originated in the city but elsewhere in the province. Eating here has been described as like returning to ancient China. 吕氏春秋 (lǚ shì chūn qiū), “The Spring and Autumn [Annals] of Mr. Lü”, completed in 240 BC under the general direction of Lü Buwei, a minister in Emperor Qin’s court describes, among other things, the agricultural and culinary sophistication of the times in Shaanxi. Shaanxi has had a large Muslim population since the 7th century AD and this has influenced the cuisine in many ways, especially in the use of mutton and beef rather than China’s usual pork. But it is also influenced by the cuisines of other parts of China and the outside world. Xi’an was the starting point of the famous Silk Road heading west as far as the Arab countries with which they traded, bringing back spices and other foods. Wheat is a major staple, as with most of northern China. Less rice is consumed here as that is a southern crop, although there are exceptions. Shaanxi food is generally full of strong, heavy flavours. Vinegar is a common ingredient as are chillies, but fewer than Sichuan or Hunan. It is cold in winter, so people like higher calorific foods. Despite those cold winters, almost a year-round staple in Shaanxi is 凉皮 (liáng pí). These are a type of noodles made from gluten starch extracted usually from wheat. They are served cold with vegetables. There are three main versions 1) With sesame paste 2) With cucumber 3) With chilli oil Liangpi They are often eaten alongside the next dish. I have mentioned 肉夹馍 (ròu jiā mó) many times on these forums. These hamburger-like sandwiches also come in various versions. Most common are tose made with stewed pork and chilli and served in 白吉饼 (bái jí bǐng), a type of Shaanxi flatbread. However in Xi’an, because of the large Muslim population, they are often beef. My favourites are 孜然牛肉夹馍 (zī rán niú ròu jiá mó), cumin beef with chillies. Outside Xi’an, but still in Shaanxi, lamb or mutton is used. There is more over on this topic, including a recipe for my favourite type. Pork Roujiamo Cumin Beef Jia Mo Then I come to a dish which only appeared recently (it was unknown when I lived there). Or was it? For centuries Xi’an people have been eating 油泼面 (yóu pō miàn), oil splashed noodles. These are wheat noodles which are boiled then finished with hot oil with chilli and scallions being poured over them, imbuing them with flavour. A simple, but popular dish. Image from menu of local menu A few years ago some vendor come up with a marketing trick to attract or fool the tourists. He took that same 油泼面 (yóu pō miàn), invented a new name and a new character and launched a re-branded version. The only change he made to the actual dish was using extremely long noodles – up to a metre or more in length, so difficult to eat. The version he came up with is Biang Biang Noodles, an onomatopoetic name supposedly derived from the sound made when the noodles are slapped against the counter on which they are made. The character he used is totally bogus, but he claimed it was the most difficult character to write as it has 57 or 58 strokes. It appears in no Chinese dictionaries and cannot be typed on any computer (Unicode seems to be wisely ignoring it). Menus write it ‘biang biang 面’. Here is the best I can do using Photoshop. Biang Biang Mian The thing that amuses me is that some restaurants offer the same dish under the two names, but for different prices, the biang version being more expensive – of course. Another common dish is the strangely named 臊子面 (sào zi miàn), minced pork noodles. In the local dialect, 臊子 means ’chopped meat‘, but in Mandarin, 臊 means ‘bad smelling’! The dish doesn’t smell in any way other than appetising. This noodle dish was recorded as being invented in the Han dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE) in Qishan county in Shaanxi and consists of minced pork, day lily, fungi, vinegar, tofu, egg, chilli and carrot and is sour and salty. The chilli is very mild but gives colour. Saozi Noodles There are, of course many other dishes but these, I remember are the most popular.

牛肉拉面 (niú ròu lā miàn) from northern China. Beef with hand-pulled wheat noodles served in a rich meaty soup. Hugely filling and warming in winter.

Very few people here celebrate Christmas at all, but the few who at least mark it prepare by buying apples which they then give to their friends on Christmas Eve. This baffled me at first, but then I worked out that it's because in Chinese, Christmas Eve is called 平安夜 (píng ān yè), literally peaceful night, and that is also the name of the carol "Silent Night" in Chinese. 'Apple' in Chinese is 苹果 (píng guǒ) with the first character being pronounced identically to the first in 平安夜 (píng ān yè). In Chinese culture, these homophonic coincidences are often used to cross-allude to otherwise dissimilar concepts. There are thousands of them. The number 4 is unlucky because it is a homophone for 'death' etc. Peaceful Apples Every year at Christmas, my friends send me pictures of themselves holding apples. Here is a composite from the last two years.

粤菜 (Mand: yuè cài; Cant: jyut6 coi3) - Cantonese cuisine (Part Four) - 点心 / 點心 (Mand: diǎn xin; Cant: dim2 sam1) Note: As many people in this area speak Cantonese, I am giving the pronunciation in both Mandarin and Cantonese. I am also giving names in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese characters as the latter are still used in Hong Kong and Macao and sometimes in restaurants on the mainland, although that is discouraged. If only one set of characters are shown as in the title of this post, that means the simplified and traditional are the same. On with the show. I felt obliged to do this. Dim Sum refers to the food served at 饮茶 / 飲茶 (Mand: yǐn chá; Cant: jam2 caa4), Yum Cha, literally ‘drink tea’ and often referred to in English has ‘morning tea’. It is possible Cantonese cuisine's best known and appreciated contribution to world cuisine. I can’t stand it! The food is OK, but overrated; the event less so. The yum cha teahouses (茶楼 / 茶樓 – Mand: chá lóu; Cant: caa4 lau4) open as early as 5 or 6 am and are rapidly packed with groups of mainly elderly people screaming at the top of their voices, arguing and debating all of life’s many vicissitudes. I’ve seen old men getting ridiculously drunk at 8 am and taking out their frustrations in hilariously inept fights; women in the men’s facilities because the women’s line is too long; people sleeping, and (just once) people dying; he was carted out and everyone continued as usual. By noon or earlier, the mayhem is all over. The all day dim sum places common in the west are rare here. Fortunately, I can buy the more common dim sum type food easily away from the restaurants (or make it myself) but I very, very seldom do. So, there is a good chance you know more about it than me! Hence no pictures in this post. In fact almost anything can be served as dim sum; it’s just small plate eating – tapas with tea. The words dim sum mean ‘touch to the heart’. If your heart is in your mouth or stomach that makes sense. The Spruce Eats (or, as I call it, The Spruce Sucks) says the cart wielding days have gone, but then they are usually incredibly wrong about Chinese food other than American Chinese. Most of the restaurants here still have carts for the most popular items, but there are also long disposable menus for each table on which you have to tick off what you want and how many (take a pen or pencil). One place here in Liuzhou is a revolving restaurant at the top of a tower over a hotel. Unfortunately the hotel is now surrounded by higher office blocks, so the view is less than wonderful. The carts revolve in the opposite direction to the restaurant. Popular place but expensive and not that good. Next I’ll get onto something I actually like. 再见广东 / 再見廣東 / Goodbye Guangdong.

粤菜 (Mand: yuè cài; Cant: jyut6 coi3) - Cantonese cuisine (Part Three) - 客家菜 （Mand: kè jiā cài; Cant: haak3 gaa1 coi3) Hakka Cuisine Note: As many people in this area speak Cantonese, I am giving the pronunciation in both Mandarin and Cantonese. I am also giving names in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese characters as the latter are still used in Hong Kong and Macao and sometimes in restaurants on the mainland, although that is discouraged. If only one set of characters are shown as in the title of this post, that means the simplified and traditional are the same. On with the show. 客家人 (Mand: kè jiā rén; Cant: haak3 gaa1 jan4) , the Hakka people are descended from alienated Han China who moved south to escape persecution. The first wave was in the 4th century AD with another in the 9th. Finally in the 13th century, they had largely settled in Guangdong, particularly around the 东江 (Mand: dōng jiāng; Cant: dung1 gong1), River Dong, and so the cuisine is sometimes referred to as 东江菜 (Mand: dōng jiāng cài; Cant: dung1 gong1 coi3) , but many have settled here in Guangxi. They are also found in Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. There is a Hakka community in Jamaica. They truly justify their name, which means ‘guest people’. Although considered part of Cantonese cuisine, their food is quite distinct and features foods and techniques not found in ‘regular’ Cantonese fare. The cuisine is generally more salty, robust and thickly sauced. It is also more calorific than Cantonese food and, as they immigrants tended to settle in higher mountainous areas (which no one else wanted), seafood is rarely a feature. Perhaps as a legacy of their mobile nature in the past, little attention is considered necessary to presentation, unlike their neighbours’ cuisine. A favourite cooking technique is 酿 / 釀 (Mand: niàng; Cant: joeng6), stuffing vegetables and tofu with meat and frying or steaming them. Haka stuffed tofu Hakka stuffed bitter melon Another is 拌 (Mand: bàn; Cant: bun6), mixing other foods with rice in a similar manner to the Korean 비빔밥 (bibimbap). On their travels they learned the value of drying foods to preserve them, a tradition they retain. Stewing and braising are also common unlike in other Cantonese cuisine. 扣肉 (Mand: kòu ròu; Cant: kau3 juk6), a dish of fried, then steamed slices of pork belly either with preserved mustard greens or the pork slices interspersed with taro. The first is the most common in Guangdong, but the latter more so in the Hakka influenced areas of Guangxi. Kou rou with preserved mustard greens. Image from Meituan food delivery app Kou rou with taro One of the stranger dishes is 猪肚鸡 / 豬肚雞 (Mand: zhū dǔ jī; Cant: zyu1 tou5 gai1), literally ‘pig stomach chicken’. This consists of a chicken being stitched up inside a pig’s stomach then stewed with Chinese herbs normally used in TCM. When cooked the chicken is released from the stomach and both are chopped into bite sized pieces and returned to the boiling liquid with the herbs then served as a soup! Pig Stomach Chicken - Image Meituan Another tradition is 擂茶 (Mand: léi chá; Cant: leoi4 caa4). This is similar to the oil tea made by the ethnic minorities such as the Zhuang, Miao, Dong, Yao etc, but with one important difference. The peanuts, rice, tea leaves, sesame, green beans and ginger are ground to a powder then used to make the tea, unlike in the minorities’ version where they remain whole. Same ingredients; different technique. Final part of Cantonese Cuisine next.

粤菜 (Mand: yuè cài; Cant: jyut6 coi3) - Cantonese cuisine (Part Two) - 潮汕菜 (Mand: cháo shàn cài; Cant: ciu4 saan3 coi3) – Chaoshan Cuisine Note: As many people in this area speak Cantonese, I am giving the pronunciation in both Mandarin and Cantonese. I am also giving names in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese characters as the latter are still used in Hong Kong and Macao and sometimes in restaurants on the mainland, although that is discouraged. If only one set of characters are shown as in the title of this post, that means the simplified and traditional are the same. On with the show. Chaoshan cuisine, also called Teochew cuisine, is an important sub-genre of Cantonese cuisine, largely exclusive to the area known as 潮汕 (Mand: cháo shàn; Cant: ciu4 saan3) and including the city of 汕头 (Mand: shàn tóu; Cant: saan3 tau4) in south-eastern Guangdong Province. Dating back to the Han Dynasty (Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), the area is famous for its skilled chefs. Attention to details of cutting and presentation are renowned as is their love of mild, lightly seasoned preparations which highlight the natural flavours of the dishes. They are also known for their delicate vegetable dishes, some vegetarian but not all. This is a prosperous maritime region so much of the cuisine centres on seafood, for which it’s most famous. One unusual feature of their cuisine is the technique of marinating seafood while it’s still alive. The marinade consists of vinegar, green onion, ginger, soy sauce and baijiu (a Chinese grain liquor). Small amounts of chillies are sometimes added, but generally Cantonese food is not spicy. Meats, both natural or cured, are often brined using water, salt, bean paste, ginger and many other spices. Brined goose or duck is a favourite. 潮汕卤味 / 潮汕鹵味 (Mand: cháo shàn lǔ wèi; Cant: ciu4 saan3 lou5 mei6*2), brined meats are often served as a charcuterie plate. 芥兰炒牛肉 / 芥蘭炒牛肉 (Mand: jè lán chǎo niú ròu ; Cant: gaai3 laan4*2 caau2 ngau4 juk6), gailan with beef stir-fry is the likely origin on that American classic beef with broccoli, imported and altered by immigrants who couldn’t then find gailan so substituted broccoli. 潮汕砂锅粥 / 潮汕砂鍋粥 (Mand: cháo shàn shā guō zhōu; Cant: ciu4 saan3 saa1 wo1 zuk1 ) Chaoshan rice porridge is a personal favourite, packed with fresh seafood – shrimp, crab, squid, scallops etc. Chaoshan rice porridge 苦瓜排骨汤 / 苦瓜純排骨湯 (Mand: kǔ guā pái gǔ tāng; Cant: fu2 gwaa1 paai4 gwat1 tong1), bitter melon and pork rib soup is a popular dish with supposed medical benefits, but also just as a delicious soup for those who don’t mind bitter tastes. Chaoshan bitter melon and pork rib soup (with yellow soy beans) Chaoshan is also the origin of the highly formal Chinese tea drinking ceremony. Many of the Chaoshan dishes are only available in the area as they demand absolute freshness. Steamed crab in Chaoshan restaurant in 2001. Pretty but bland to my tastes. more Cantonese still to come.

粤菜 (Mand: yuè cài; Cant: jyut6 coi3) - Cantonese cuisine (Part One) Note: As many people in this area speak Cantonese, I am giving the pronunciation in both Mandarin and Cantonese. I am also giving names in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese characters as the latter are still used in Hong Kong and Macao and sometimes in restaurants on the mainland, although that is discouraged. If only one set of characters are shown as in the title of this post, that means the simplified and traditional are the same. On with the show. Named for the city of Guangdong, formerly called Canton by the British, this is the food of Guangzhou Province and southern Guangxi. It also includes Hong Kong and Macao and is the most common Chinese cuisine found abroad, simply because most emigrants were from the area and had access to trade with the colonial powers. The cuisine they took with them has, however, been much altered away from its roots. This emigration also explains Cantonese being the dominant Chinese language among the diaspora, although that is changing rapidly. Some American and Canadian cities now have more Mandarin than Cantonese speakers. Last time I was in London (2019) I heard more Mandarin than Cantonese in Chinatown. Yet, this is another example of mythology. Cantonese food is not a unified cuisine. It falls into three distinct cuisines: Guangzhou cuisine, Chaozhou cuisine and Dongjiang cuisine, while Hong Kong and Macao can be also be considered sub-cuisines, both having been influenced to varying degrees by their colonisers, Britain and Portugal respectively. In this post I will deal with the first - Guangzhou cuisine. I should declare a lack of interest. Cantonese is probably my least favourite Chinese cuisine (with a handful of important exceptions). I find it bland, over-expensive and boring, but I know I’m in an unrepentant minority. But I’ll try to be impartial. The food in general is attractively presented and the freshness and quality considered paramount.6 Flavourings and seasonings are light, with sugar used as a ‘spice’ (but not as heavily as in western Chinese restaurants. Conserving the original flavours of the ingredients is a major goal. Those ingredients are many and various. Most of the horror stories coming out of China (true or false) arise in Guangzhou. I mentioned somewhere above that Qingping market (青平市场 - qīng píng shì cháng; Cant: ceng1 ping4 si5 coeng4) in Guangzhou was like a supermarket resembling a zoo. Civet cats sold here were widely thought of as being the source of SARS in 2003. It also uses a lot of little known vegetables, especially in restaurants. Most of these ‘exotic’ ingredients are only used in restaurants and seldom in domestic kitchens. Some of the best known dishes in Guangzhou and throughout China include 白切鸡 / 白切雞 (Mand: bái qiē jī: Cant: baak6 cit3 gai1), White Cut Chicken. This is a whole (plucked and gutted but skin, head and feet kept intact) chicken slow poached in lightly salted water with chopped green onions, ginger, and Shaoxing wine or baijiu wine. The bird is usually poached for around 15 minutes then the heat turned off and the chicken left in the cooling water to finish in the residual heat. It is then placed in an ice bath to cool completely and served, usually with dips. This one I like, but you can keep the skin. I only like crisp skin. White Cut Chicken Another poultry dish is 广式烧鹅 / 廣式燒鵝 (Mand: guǎng shì shāo é; Cant: gwong2 sik1 siu1 ngo4*2), Guangzhou Roasted Goose. This reaches perfection in Hong Kong. Roast Goose 烤乳猪 / 烤乳豬 Mand: kǎo rǔ zhū; Cant: haau1 jyu5 zyu1) or 烧乳猪 (Cant: siu1 jyu5 zyu1 in Hong Kong), Roasted Sucking Pig is a wonderful dish at more formal events or celebrations. Crisp skin and succulent meat. But I doubt many people are rustling that up at home. Roast Sucking Pig 蜜汁叉烧 / 蜜汁叉燒 (Mand: mì zhī chā shāo; Cant: mat6 zap1 caa1 siu1), Honeyed Char Siu is well known. Often just abbreviated to the last two characters. Used as is, in fried rice, soups, buns etc. The crispest char siu is not made with honey, but maltose - less sweet but a better glaze. Char Siu Char siu bao bun. My favourite breakfast is also Cantonese: 皮蛋瘦肉粥 (Mand: pí dàn shòu ròu zhōu; Cant: pei4 daan6*2 sau3 juk6 zuk1), Congee with lean pork and century egg. Simple: rice, water, century egg and ground pork. Often served with pickles. Lean Pork and Century Egg Congee Another well known Cantonese treat, imported from Europe in colonial times, is 蛋挞 / 蛋撻 (Mand: dàn tà; Cant: daan6 taat3*1) Egg Tarts. These come in two varieties: 香港蛋挞 / 香港蛋撻 (Mand: xiāng gǎng dàn tà; Cant: hoeng1 gong2 daan6 taat3*1), Hong Kong Egg Tarts; and 澳门蛋挞 / 澳門蛋撻 (Mand: ào mén dàn tà; Cant: ou3 mun4*2 daan6 taat3*1), both of which are available all over China and beyond. Top: Macao Egg Tars; Bottom: Hong Kong Egg Tarts Finally, for now, one for the vegans. They need all the help they can get. 罗汉斋 / 羅漢齋 (Mand: luó hàn zhāi; Cant: lo4 hon3 zaai1), supposedly so-named because vegetarian Buddhist monks couldn’t resist it. It is a mung bean noodle dish which, when properly and traditionally made has 18 ingredients, all vegan. Recipe and image here. More later.

Well, it is Tabasco, I assume.

滇菜 (diān cài) - Yunnan (云南) Cuisine Not on the list of eight is the important cuisine of Yunnan, also called 滇 (diān), after 滇池 (diān chí), Dian Chi Lake which is Yunnan’s largest and is located just outside the provincial capital, Kunming. Hence the name of the cuisine. Yunnan means ‘south of the clouds’ and lies in the south of China, bordering Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar / Burma as well as the neighbouring Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Chongqing, Sichuan and autonomous regions of Guangxi and Tibet. It is home to 51 of China’s ethnic minorities who make up one-third of the population. Their food is notably different from that of the majority Han Chinese population and I’ll talk about that separately later. It is a beautiful part of China and a popular tourist destination, featuring Tiger Leaping Gorge, the Stone Forest, the ancient cities of Dali and Lijiang and the capital Kunming among others. Gastronomically, it is most well-known in China for its amazing supply of wild mushrooms. In all, it is said to have around 5,000 different species, 800 of which are edible. These include porcini, morels and matsutake , which can fetch $1,000 USD a pound. Kunming, in particular has numerous restaurants offering 野生菌火锅 (yě shēng jūn huǒ guō), mushroom hotpot feasts, as do other cities around China. Yunnan Mushrooms Morels and Matsutake Also famous in Yunnan is 宣威火腿 (xuān wēi huǒ tuǐ), Xuanwei Ham, one of China’s most famous and described by the Wall St Journal as “The best piece of ham I’ve ever tasted” and rated alongside Spain’s jamón Iberico. Xuanwei ham A very popular dish is Yunnan’s 过桥米线 (guò qiáo mǐ xiàn), Crossing the Bridge Noodles. As always, there is an apocryphal (?) story behind the name. It is claimed that there was a minor civil servant who was studying for his imperial exams on a small island, accessible by a bridge, where he could concentrate without distractions. His wife would bring him noodles for lunch but found that by the time she had crossed the bridge to the island the soup would be cold and the noodles overcooked. She accidentally discovered that a layer of oil over the broth kept it warm, so she delivered lunch with the broth so covered, but kept the noodles separate until just before serving. My local deliver app noodles are still delivered in this way. Crossing the Bridge Noodles Alternative explanations are available. Yunnan is also one of the few places making cheese in China. It is an ethnic minority speciality, but I will mention it now as it is an important and unusual part of Yunnan food culture. Known as 乳饼 (rǔ bǐng), literally ‘milk cake’, rubing is a hard, usually goat milk cheese. The cheese is usually fried and sugared to bring out the milky taste. Alternatively it can be stretched and dried to make 乳扇 (rǔ shān), literally ‘milk fans’. These are lighter and crisp. Rubing Finally, for now and for tea drinkers, Yunnan is home to the famous Pu’er tea (普洱茶 - pǔ ěr chá). This black tea comes from 普洱市 (pǔ ěr shì), a city and prefecture some 570 km / 355 miles south-west of Kunming. Its elevation makes it ideal for tea cultivation. Pu’er comes in two types: raw and fermented, with the latter being best known. Prime grades can be very expensive. Pu'er Tea Finally, let me say that one of my favourite possessions is my marble mortar and pestle. It is from Dali in Yunnan. In Chinese, 'marble' is 大理石 (dà lǐ shí), literally Dali Stone, named after the ancient city. This mushroom themed batik, I also bought in Dali after watching it neing made over several days.

I'm in shock. Good shock. My neighbour just came to my door (10:30 pm, Christmas Eve) with a gift. Last thing I expected. Christmas is largely meaningless here. So kind!

鲁菜 (lǔ cài) – Shandong (山东) Cuisine I’ll start with what is regarded as Chinese oldest recognisable cuisine and one of the mythical eight, but first a linguistic diversion. You may be wondering why it’s called 鲁菜 (lǔ cài) and not 山东菜 (shān dōng cài). Well, most of the provinces have alternative names and this is one of those. 鲁 (lǔ) means stupid, dull, rash, rough, rude, but is also another name for Shandong Province as well as a family name. The province lies on the east coast, north of Shanghai and south of Beijing. There is no implication that the people are stupid. In fact, Shandong is the birthplace of China’s most important philosopher, 孔子 (kǒng zǐ), anglicised as Confucius. Confucius It also famous for its beer. Tsingtao is the old transliteration for what is now written in the Roman alphabet as Qingdao. This coastal Shandong city was occupied by Germany from 1898 to 1914 and still features a lot of German architecture. But more well-known is 青岛啤酒 (qīng dǎo pí jiǔ) or Tsingtao Beer. The brewery was founded in 1903 and produced its first brew the following year. In 1916, it was acquired by the Japanese company which owned Asahi beer. It changed hands a few more times during the first and second world wars, as Germany was booted out then the Japanese invaded and took over until 1945. In 1949, the Communists under Mao nationalized it. Today it is China’s best known beer internationally and is available in over 100 countries with exports starting in 1954. This is why it was one of only handful of products allowed to retain the old transliteration in its name – they didn’t want to confuse and potentially lose the foreign market. However the company make a better beer. I first tasted it on draught in Qingdao in 1997. Called Laoshan beer - 崂山啤酒 (láo shān pí jiǔ) after a famous ‘holy’ Taoist mountain just outside Qingdao city. When I had it, it was only available in Qingdao. The water used was said to come from the mountain. It is now available throughout China in cans and bottles. If you find yourself in Qingdao, I recommend a glass or four of the draught. Then it will be dinner time! Shandong is known for its judicious use of seasonings and spices. The main ‘spice’ is salt. This is for historic reasons and its being coastal with access to sea salt. It also uses soy sauce and vinegar but doesn’t have the robust flavours of some other cuisines like those of Sichuan or Hunan. They are fond of sweet-and sour dishes and do also use more onions than most provinces. Its long shoreline and many rivers mean that both freshwater and seawater foods are a large part of the cuisine. On that same 1997 visit, I lived on Shandong’s clams 蛤蜊 (gé lí), famous throughout China. I now live hundreds of miles away but even here, most of our dried clams are sourced from Shandong. The clams are sometimes breaded and fried, but my favourite was simply stir-fried with salt-fermented black soy beans. Fried carp with sweet and sour sauce, 糖醋鲤鱼 (táng cù lǐ yú) is another favourite. But Shandong is also famous as the prime source of one of the worst things I have ever eaten - Braised Sea Cucumber with Onion, 葱烧海参 (cōng shāo hǎi shēn). For those who are lucky enough not to have met them, sea cucumbers are echinoderms as are starfish and sea urchins. They look like turds and are like eating play-doh. Turds Non aquatic favourites are 德州扒鸡 (dézhōu pá jī) Dezhou Grilled Chicken which are lightly breaded and fried. Dezhou Chicken Shandong makes great use of the 爆 (bào) technique of cooking which is food cooked in boiling oil. This means the exterior crisps up rapidly while the interior remains moist. Another breaks Chinese tradition: 四 (sì) means ‘four’ which is China’s most unlucky number as it is a near homophone of 死 (sǐ) meaning ‘to die’. Yet, the Shandong population happily eat 四喜丸子 (sì xǐ wán zi), Four Happy Meatballs. These are similar to the Lion’s head meatballs available elsewhere in China. Three Happy Meatballs - I'm superstitious! There are, of course, many other dishes, but I hope I have given a hint of the general style of the food and its flavours. Salt, vinegar, sugar, onions, seafood.

Do a loose search for ‘Chinese Cuisine’ and often you’ll be directed to books or websites telling you that China has eight distinct cuisines. Unfortunately, this is yet another myth. The repetition of this ‘fact’ comes from the Imperial court stating such hundreds of years ago and it becoming a cliché, both in and out of China. The eight are usually listed as: 鲁菜 (lǔ cài), Shandong cuisine 粤菜 (yuè cài) Cantonese cuisine 川菜 (chuān cài) Sichuan cuisine 苏菜 (sū cài) Jiangsu cuisine 湘菜 (xiāng cài) Hunan cuisine 浙菜 (zhè cài) Zhejiang cuisine 徽菜 (huī cài) Anhui cuisine 闽菜 (mǐn cài) Fujian cuisine The list was compiled when China’s present day borders were somewhat different. In fact, not only are there many, many more; even within these categories there are distinctly different cuisines. Hunan, for example has three distinguishably different cuisines, as does Guangxi where I live. Also, the list excludes many more. It only includes the majority Han Chinese cuisines and excludes the ethnic minority cuisines of which there are so many. It also excludes significant cuisines such as Yunnan cuisine, Guizhou cuisine, Shaanxi cuisine, Xinjiang cuisine, Dongbei cuisine, Inner Mongolian cuisine, Tibetan cuisine and more. It doesn’t even include Beijing or Shanghai, both of which have their own distinct cuisines. Over the next few posts I will attempt to herd cats and describe some of the eight, but more of the others as they tend to be less well known out of China.

Last night, I found a new (to me) Japanese place locally and decided to give them a chance. This was described on my delivery app in Chinese as 咖喱猪扒饭 (gā lí zhū pá fàn). It is, in fact, in Japanese, カツカレー (katsukari) katsu curry. For those unfamiliar with the dish it is とんかつ (tonkatsu), panko breaded pork chop served over rice with vegetables and a Japanese style curry sauce. Some evil imposter of a chef infiltrated himself into the kitchen and threw some (unadvertised) c⊘rn smothered in Kewpie ‘mayonnaise’ on top, but it was all to one side so I scooped it out and destroyed it. The broccoli was also ditched, not because I dislike it that much, but it was seriously overcooked. All in all, despite the flaws, a decent meal.

From what I've been reading, it is essential to put the sugar in before the cream or it doesn't float on top. Right? Somewhat bizarrely, the best Irish coffee I ever had was in a small village in China! How it got there I have no idea. I should have asked.

For the record and clarification: Gailan Gailan aka Chinese Broccoli is 芥兰 or 芥蓝 (both jiè lán) on the mainland. It is 芥蘭 (gaai3 laan4*2) in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and among much of the overseas Chinese. Western Broccoli Western broccoli is 西兰花 (xī lán huā) on the mainland. It is 西蘭花 (sai1 laan4 faa1) in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and among much of the overseas Chinese.

Yesterday, I paid the 2024 annual service fee on my apartment. For paying a year in advance rather than monthly, I received this 5kg bag of locally grown rice. First time that's happened.

C⊘rn will last longer, I'm sure!

Do you remember what the written name looked like? There are two ways I see it written in Simplified Chinese as used in mainland China. 芥兰 or 芥蓝, pronounced identically. Then, just to confuse things further, in Traditional Chinese and so in Cantonese as used in Hong Kong and in much of the diaspora it can be 芥蘭 or 芥藍! Don't make the mistake of only remembering the first character. Many vegetables begin with that character. You could even end up with wasabi!