Zhejiang cuisine

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Zhejiang cuisine
DongPoRou.jpg
Dongpo pork, a notable dish in Zhejiang cuisine

Zhejiang cuisine, alternatively known as Zhe cuisine, is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of Chinese cuisine. Zhejiang cuisine contains four different styles, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, and Wenzhou (also known as Ou cuisine). It derives from the traditional ways of cooking in Zhejiang Province, which is located south of Shanghai and centred around Hangzhou, a historical Chinese capital. In general, Zhejiang cuisine is not greasy but has a fresh and soft flavour with a mellow fragrance. [1]

Contents

Styles

Zhejiang cuisine consists of at least three styles, each originating from a major city in the province: [2]

Some sources also include the Wenzhou style (Ou cuisine) as a separate subdivision due to its proximity to Fujian Province. Wenzhou style is characterised as the greatest source of seafood as well as poultry and livestock. [4]

Notable dishes

EnglishTraditional ChineseSimplified ChinesePinyinPictureNotes
A hundred birds facing the Phoenix 百鳥朝鳳百鸟朝凤bǎi niǎo cháo fèng Xiaoshan chicken is stewed in a clay pot. Steamed dumplings are then arranged around the chicken, such that it looks like the dumplings ("hundred birds") are facing the chicken ("phoenix").
Beggar's chicken 叫化雞叫化鸡jiàohuā jī Beggar's Chicken ( Jiao Hua Ji ).jpg Although this dish is originally from Jiangsu Province, it was popularised in Hangzhou and has since been considered part of Hangzhou cuisine.
Dongpo pork 東坡肉东坡肉Dōngpō ròu Dongpo pork by superturtle.jpg Fried pork belly stewed in soy sauce and wine.
Dry vegetables and stewed meat乾菜燜肉干菜焖肉gān cài mèn ròu Meigan cai stewed with pork.
Fiery pupil immortal duck火瞳神仙鴨火瞳神仙鸭huǒ tóng shénxiān yā Jinhua ham stewed with duck.
Fried shrimp油爆大蝦油爆大虾yóu bào dà xiāRiver shrimp is deep fried first and then stir-fried.
Gan zha xiang ling乾炸響鈴干炸响铃gān zhá xiǎng língDeep-fried pieces of pork tenderloin wrapped in tofu skin.
Guoba with tomato and shrimp番茄蝦仁鍋巴番茄虾仁锅巴fānqié xiārén guō bā
Hibiscus mud crab芙蓉蝤蠓芙蓉蝤蠓fúróng qiúměng Mud crab cooked with egg, green vegetables, chicken stock and Shaoxing wine.
Home-made salted pork with spring bamboo shoots南肉春筍南肉春笋nán ròu chūnsǔn
Jin yu man tang金玉滿堂金玉满堂jīn yù mǎn tángA dish composed of shrimp, Chinese perch, deep-fried chicken, pork strips, shumai, ham, crab roe and other ingredients.
Large yellow croaker with pickled mustard greens鹹菜大湯黃魚咸菜大汤黄鱼xiányú dà tāng huángyú
Longjing shrimp龍井蝦仁龙井虾仁lóngjǐng xiārénShrimp cooked in Longjing tea
Mi zhi da fang蜜汁大方蜜汁大方mì zhī dà fāngHam is steamed in syrup with lotus seeds, green plums, cherries, osmanthus and other ingredients.
Pearls on a palm掌上明珠掌上明珠zhǎng shàng míng zhūFishballs ("pearls") served on a goose web ("palm").
Pregnant fresh fish懷胎鮮魚怀胎鲜鱼huáitāi xiān yúSteamed sea bass wrapped in pig's caul fat and stuffed with shrimp, Shiitake mushroom, ham and other ingredients.
Razor shells with fried egg蛋煎蜻子蛋煎蜻子dàn jiān qīng zǐA dish composed of razor shells, pork lard, water chestnut and egg.
San si qiao yu三絲敲魚三丝敲鱼sān sī qiāo yúA dish composed of abalone, ham, chicken breast, lean pork, choy sum and other ingredients.
Shao(xing) shrimp balls紹蝦球绍虾球Shào xiā qiúShrimp balls wrapped in strips of deep-fried egg paste.
Sister Song's Fish Soup宋嫂鱼羹 Sister Song's Fish Soup (Song Sao Yu Geng ).png A soup composed of ingredients such as Chinese perch, ham, bamboo shoots, Shiitake mushroom, egg and chicken stock.
Softshell turtle in crystallised sugar冰糖甲魚冰糖甲鱼bīng táng jiǎyú
Stir-fried eel pieces生爆鱔片生爆鳝片shēng bào shàn piàn Swamp eel coated in a paste, stir-fried, and served with garlic, sugar and vinegar.
Stir-fried shredded pork with egg white芙蓉肉芙蓉肉fúróng ròu
Ten views of Shao(xing)紹十景绍十景Shào shí jǐngA dish composed of fishballs, meatballs, shrimp, fish maw, bamboo shoot, Shiitake mushroom, chicken gizzard and other ingredients.
Wenzhou pig intestine rice noodle soup 温州猪脏粉Wēnzhōu zhūzàngfěnA rice noodle soup containing pig intestine and duck or pig blood popular in Wenzhou.
West Lake chuncai soup西湖蒓菜湯西湖莼菜汤Xīhú chúncài tāngSoup made with strips of ham, chicken breast and chuncai.
West Lake fish in vinegar西湖醋魚西湖醋鱼Xīhú cù yúA grass carp served in syrup.

Ningbo cuisine is regarded as rather salty. [2] Ningbo confectioneries were celebrated all over China during the Qing dynasty. [5]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhejiang</span> Province of China

Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiangsu and Shanghai to the north, Anhui to the northwest, Jiangxi to the west and Fujian to the south. To the east is the East China Sea, beyond which lies the Ryukyu Islands. The population of Zhejiang stands at 64.6 million, the 8th highest among China. It has been called "the backbone of China" because it is a major driving force in the Chinese economy and being the birthplace of several notable people, including the Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek and entrepreneur Jack Ma. Zhejiang consists of 90 counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hangzhou</span> Prefecture-level and sub-provincial city in Zhejiang, China

Hangzhou, also romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, sitting at the head of Hangzhou Bay, which separates Shanghai and Ningbo. Hangzhou grew to prominence as the southern terminus of the Grand Canal and has been one of China's most renowned and prosperous cities for much of the last millennium. It is a major economic and e-commerce hub within China, and the second biggest city in Yangtze Delta after Shanghai. Hangzhou is classified as a sub-provincial city and forms the core of the Hangzhou metropolitan area, the fourth-largest in China after Guangzhou-Shenzhen Pearl River agglomeration, Shanghai-Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou conurbation and Beijing. As of 2019, the Hangzhou metropolitan area was estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product (nominal) of 3.2 trillion yuan, making it larger than the economy of Nigeria. As of the 2020 Chinese census, it had a total population of 11,936,010 inhabitants. However, its metropolitan area, populated by 13.035 million people over an area of 8,107.9 km2 (3,130.5 sq mi), consists of all urban districts in Hangzhou and 3 urban districts of the city of Shaoxing.

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References

  1. "Beijing 2008 Olympics - Zhejiang Cuisine". People's Daily Online. 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
  2. 1 2 "Zhejiang Cuisine". China Daily. 2005. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
  3. Dunlop, Fuchsia (26 September 2009). "Hangzhou's rich gastronomic history" . Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-11.
  4. "Zhejiang Cuisine and Restaurants". www.ChinaPlanner.com. 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  5. Benjamin, Marcus; Bostwick, Arthur Elmore; Van Casteel, Gerald; Hagar, George Jotham, eds. (1910). A New Work of Reference Based Upon the Best Authorities, and Systematically Arranged for Use in Home and School. Appleton's New Practical Cyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: D. Appleton and Company. p. 432.