Huaiyang cuisine
Encyclopedia
Huaiyang cuisine is a tradition within the cuisine of China derived from the native cooking styles of the region surrounding the lower reaches of the Huai
and Yangtze
rivers, and centered upon the cities of Huai'an
, Yangzhou
and Zhenjiang
in Jiangsu
province. Although it is one of several sub-regional styles within Jiangsu cuisine
, Huaiyang cuisine is widely seen in Chinese culinary circles as the most popular and prestigious style of the Jiangsu cuisine - to a point where it is considered to be amongst one of the four most influential regional schools (四大菜系) that dominate the culinary heritage of China, along with Cantonese cuisine
, Shandong cuisine
and Sichuan cuisine.
, which is produced in the Zhenjiang region. Huaiyang cuisine tends to have a sweet side to it and is almost never spicy, in contrast to some cuisines of China (e.g., Sichuan or Hunan). Pork, fresh water fish, and other aquatic creatures serve as the meat base to most dishes, which are usually more meticulous and light compared to the more “brash” eating styles of northern China.
Other standard Yangzhou dishes include:
Others include Yangzhou pickles, baozi, gansi (sliced tofu), sticky candy, ginkgo, Qionghuayu liquor, Nanshan green tea
, baoying lotus root starch, and Jiangdu short pastry.
Baozi is a type of steamed bun, which can be stuff with sweet and meat. Baozi sometimes can be serve as breakfast meal, and it is best to eat it while it hot.
There is also a dish called "beggar's chicken," which is a whole chicken marinated with spices and wrapped in aluminum foil. Contrary to its name, it is not the food for the homeless people. Traditionally, beggar's chicken is wrapped in leaves or sometime even in mud, allowing the full flavor of the chicken to be captured.
Because Yangzhou is close to Nanjing, people will be able to enjoy the mix of northern and southern cuisines. When in Nanjing, one unusual local dish is duck blood that has been congealed into a solid form, mixed with noodle soup. Also for the healthy eaters, Nanjing is best known for their stinky tofu
.
:
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
and Yangtze
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
rivers, and centered upon the cities of Huai'an
Huai'an
Huai'an , known as Huaiyin before 2001, is a prefecture-level city in northern Jiangsu province of Eastern China. It borders Suqian to the northwest, Lianyungang to the north, Yancheng to the east, Yangzhou to the southeast, and the province of Anhui to the southwest.The municipality has 4,799,889...
, Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
and Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
in Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
province. Although it is one of several sub-regional styles within Jiangsu cuisine
Jiangsu cuisine
Jiangsu cuisine is one the Eight Culinary Traditions of China. It is derived from the native cooking styles of the Jiangsu region in China. In general, Jiangsu cuisine's texture is characterized as soft, but not to the point of mushy or falling apart. For example, the meat tastes quite soft but...
, Huaiyang cuisine is widely seen in Chinese culinary circles as the most popular and prestigious style of the Jiangsu cuisine - to a point where it is considered to be amongst one of the four most influential regional schools (四大菜系) that dominate the culinary heritage of China, along with Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
, Shandong cuisine
Shandong cuisine
Shandong cuisine , in Chinese more commonly known as Lu cuisine , is one the Eight Culinary Traditions of China and is also ranked among the four most influential among these . It is derived from the native cooking styles of Shandong, an eastern coastal province of China...
and Sichuan cuisine.
Typical features
Huaiyang cuisine characteristically founds each dish on its main ingredient, and the way that ingredient is cut is pivotal to its cooking and its final taste. The cuisine is also known for employing its Chinkiang vinegarVinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
, which is produced in the Zhenjiang region. Huaiyang cuisine tends to have a sweet side to it and is almost never spicy, in contrast to some cuisines of China (e.g., Sichuan or Hunan). Pork, fresh water fish, and other aquatic creatures serve as the meat base to most dishes, which are usually more meticulous and light compared to the more “brash” eating styles of northern China.
Characteristic dishes
Huaiyang cuisine also includes several breakfast choices such as crab soup dumplings (蟹黄汤包, xìe húang tāngbāo), thousand layer cake (千层糕, qiān céng gāo), steamed dumplings (蒸饺, zhēng jiǎo), tofu noodles (大煮干丝, dà zhǔ gān sī), and wild vegetable steamed buns (野菜包子, yěcài bāozi).Other standard Yangzhou dishes include:
| Chinese | English | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| 皮蛋瘦肉粥 | Duck Egg and Pork Porridge | pí dàn shòu ròu zhōu |
| 酸菜鱼 | Sour Vegetable Fish Pot | suān cài yú |
| 鲜肉锅贴 | Pot Stickers | gūo tīe |
| 虾子饺面 | Pork and Shrimp Dumpling Noodles | xīazi jǐaomiàn |
| 狮子头 | Giant “lion’s head” Meatball | shīzi tóu |
| 翡翠烧卖 | Steamed Pork Rice Wraps | fěi cùi shāo mài |
| 扬州炒饭 | Yangzhou Fried Rice | yángzhōu chǎofàn |
| 厚皮香猪 | Sliced Fatty Pork Slices | hòu pí xīang zhū |
Others include Yangzhou pickles, baozi, gansi (sliced tofu), sticky candy, ginkgo, Qionghuayu liquor, Nanshan green tea
Green tea
Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally...
, baoying lotus root starch, and Jiangdu short pastry.
Baozi is a type of steamed bun, which can be stuff with sweet and meat. Baozi sometimes can be serve as breakfast meal, and it is best to eat it while it hot.
There is also a dish called "beggar's chicken," which is a whole chicken marinated with spices and wrapped in aluminum foil. Contrary to its name, it is not the food for the homeless people. Traditionally, beggar's chicken is wrapped in leaves or sometime even in mud, allowing the full flavor of the chicken to be captured.
Because Yangzhou is close to Nanjing, people will be able to enjoy the mix of northern and southern cuisines. When in Nanjing, one unusual local dish is duck blood that has been congealed into a solid form, mixed with noodle soup. Also for the healthy eaters, Nanjing is best known for their stinky tofu
Stinky tofu
Stinky tofu or chòu dòufu is a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is a popular snack in East and Southeast Asia, particularly mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and in East Asian enclaves elsewhere where it is usually found homemade, at night markets or roadside stands, or as a...
.
Use in official dining
Huaiyang cuisine was employed in some official occasions by the government of the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
:
- In 1949, for the first state banquet of the new Republic.
- In 1999, for the 50th anniversary state banquet of the Republic.
- In 2002, for the visiting USA President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, hosted by President Jiang ZeminJiang ZeminJiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
.