Bian Rou Yan are made by mincing pork belly into a paste, then mixing it with dried shrimp, MSG, shiitake mushrooms, onions, and rice wine to form the filling. Square sheets of dried wonton wrappers are cut into two-inch pieces, topped with about 1–2 grams of filling, and the edges are gathered and pinched together in the center. The dumplings are then placed on a steamer tray and steamed over high heat for five minutes. After steaming, they are briefly blanched in boiling water and set aside. Alternatively, boil bone broth, add shrimp oil, rice wine, and MSG, then drop in the Bian Rou Yan and drizzle with sesame oil before serving. If cooked directly without steaming, the flavor becomes even more fragrant and crispy.
Smoked duck is made by splitting the whole duck open (the innards are used separately), washing it, and rubbing it with refined salt and monosodium glutamate. Bamboo strips are used to prop open the duck’s belly. The bottom of the pot is filled with tea oil or peanut oil, and a small amount of fine bran is added. The duck is then placed upside down on top, and the pot is heated over high heat. The oil scorches the bran, which smokes and flavors the duck meat, while the rendered duck fat drips to the bottom and ignites. After ten minutes, the heat is reduced to low to allow the duck’s skin...
Fujian’s lychee cultivation began in the Tang Dynasty, and by the Song Dynasty, the trend of growing lychees had reached its peak. Fujian’s lychees are renowned across the land for their excellent color and taste, and among them, those from Putian are considered the finest. During the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era, a native of Putian, Liao Biqi, praised his hometown’s lychees in this way: “Who has bestowed such a fragrant name upon them? The square-red and purple varieties are all worthy of praise. In the forest, jade-like...
Known as "Guobianhu" or "Guobian," it is a unique snack from Fuzhou. Outside of Fuzhou, such as in Shanghai, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, almost all Guobianhu shops are run by people from Fuzhou. Its main ingredient is rice slurry, which is poured along the edge of a boiling soup pot. Once slightly dried, it is scraped into the pot with a small spatula and cooked together with a broth made from chicken and duck giblets, dried shrimp, dried cuttlefish, mushrooms, daylily blossoms…
The wrapper (yanpi) is made from carefully selected lean pork from the hind leg. The meat is trimmed of tendons and membrane, cut into fine strips, and then pounded into a paste with a wooden mallet. Finely sifted sweet potato starch and an appropriate amount of water are gradually added, stirred repeatedly, and evenly pressed until a firm dough forms. This initial dough is then placed on a flat board, rolled out into thin sheets. A thin layer of sweet potato starch is applied, the sheets are folded, and left to dry slightly to become fresh yanpi...
Famous local delicacy of Fuzhou. Typically made by mashing fish such as eel and mackerel into a paste, mixing it with high-quality potato starch to form the skin, and stuffing it with lean meat, shrimp, and other fillings to shape into balls. After boiling, they are soaked in a flavorful broth and topped with chopped scallions, floating on the surface of the soup—these are called “Seven-Star Fish Balls.” They are known for their snow-white color, springy texture, fragrant and fluffy filling, and refreshing taste...
Lychee Meat is a traditional famous dish from Fuzhou, dating back to the early Qing Dynasty. It gets its name from its color, shape, and taste, all resembling that of a lychee. The dish is made by scoring pork loin with a crisscross knife pattern and cutting it into oblique pieces. Due to the even and appropriate depth and width of the scoring, the meat curls into a lychee-like shape when fried. It is then seasoned with ketchup, balsamic vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and other condiments. The Lychee Meat has a reddish hue,...
Every year on the Beginning of Summer, Fuzhou holds a food festival featuring local snacks. On this day, every household grinds wheat flour, makes rice paste, prepares pancakes, and steams bowl cakes. The bowl cake uses small bowls as molds—greased clean, filled with rice paste, sprinkled with some sesame seeds, then placed in a steamer. Steamed over high heat for 15 minutes, the cake is ready once taken out of the steamer and turned out of the bowl. The bowl cake is fluffy, soft,…
Dried meat floss is a traditional and well-known side dish from Fuzhou. It has a soft and crumbly texture, is rich in flavor but not greasy, melts in the mouth, and boasts a delicious aroma. It was first created by Lin Dingding. Among the various dried meat floss products, “Ding Ri You” crispy dried meat floss is generally considered the best. To make dried meat floss, typically, skin-on hind leg meat is selected, cleaned, and cut into 2 cm thick pieces along the grain (this…
Taoist herbal cuisine is a therapeutic method that uses medicinal ingredients to treat illnesses and food to strengthen the body. In selecting ingredients, Taoist herbal cuisine advocates going with nature without restricting the variety—both meat and vegetarian options are acceptable. It places great emphasis on the principles of dietary health, food therapy, and food taboos, paying close attention to seasonal dietary guidelines. It suggests eating pungent foods in spring, salty foods in summer, sour foods in late summer, bitter foods in autumn, and sweet or rich foods in winter. Taoist herbal cuisine not only helps prevent and cure diseases and build up the body but also boasts excellent flavors. By combining traditional Chinese herbs with food, it ensures that the herbs borrow the taste of the food and the food enhances the efficacy of the herbs, transforming “bitter medicine” into “delicious medicine.” The Shiyantang Restaurant in the scenic area offers Taoist health-preserving herbal cuisine.
The late Fujian cuisine master Qiang Zugan was an expert in rehydrating dried ingredients, and his braised shark's fin was second to none. His nephew inherited the master’s legacy, excelling in the art of rehydrating and braising shark's fin. The dish uses premium back fins, resulting in a tender, smooth, and translucent texture with a rich, savory flavor. Its shape resembles an abalone pouch—elegant and refined—hence the name “Abalone Pouch Shark's Fin.”…
First, clean the fish head, then marinate it with a little salt and wine. Next, coat it with dry cornstarch and deep-fry in oil until it’s dried out and cooked through. Remove and drain the oil, then set aside. In another pan, heat oil to stir-fry various sliced and diced aromatics and sauces, then splash in some wine, add a little water or stock to make a sauce, adjust the seasoning, and finally add the fish head to the pan. Let it simmer briefly until the fish head absorbs the flavors…
Chinese Name: 醉排骨 Introduction Spare ribs have been used in cooking for a long time. Initially, they were just a common dish in ordinary households. With the development of cooking techniques, by the Northern Song Dynasty, they had become a delicacy served at imperial banquets—by the fourth round of drinks, it was time for the spare ribs to be served. At state banquets held to entertain envoys from various countries, by the third round of drinks, the dish presented was also spare ribs. The Ming Dynasty’s "Song’s Health Preservation Manual" included spare ribs in its recipes: “Use ribs with alternating lean and fat meat, chop them into chunks, boil them in water, add wine, salt, Sichuan pepper, scallions, marinate briefly, then fry in hot oil until cooked.” This dish became popular in the Jiangnan region during the Ming Dynasty and was called “fried pork.” By the Qing Dynasty, the preparation of spare ribs became even more refined. Yuan Mei’s "Suiyuan Shidan – Spare Ribs" recorded: “Take spare ribs from the rib section, with equal parts lean and fat, remove the central bone, replace it with scallions, baste with vinegar and sauce, frequently brush on while grilling, but do not let it dry out too much.” After the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras of the Qing Dynasty, regional master chefs continued to improve the recipe, perfecting the method of making spare ribs over time.
Stir-fried Shijishi (Clam) Also known as: Sand Clam Introduction Title Introduction The "Shijishi" (also known as "Sand Clam") is a famous seafood delicacy from Fujian. Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, after King Goujian of Yue conquered the state of Wu, his wife secretly had Xi Shi abducted and had stones tied to her body before sinking her into the sea. Since then, a type of clam resembling a human tongue has been found in the coastal mud, and people call it "Shijishi".
A national treasure — Shoushan Stone (Shoushan Stone), one of China’s traditional “Four Great Seal Stones.” It is distributed in the “Golden Triangle” area where Jin’an District of Fuzhou, along with Lianjiang County and Luoyuan County, meet in the northern suburbs. Based on the direction of its mineral veins, it can be further divided into three series: Gaoshan, Qishan, and Yueyang. Because mining in the Shoushan ore area began...
Salted plums are fruits rich in vitamins. They also contain various fruit acids and amino acids needed by the human body, as well as phosphorus and iron, all of which are easily digested and absorbed. They are the perfect companion for leisure and travel. Drinking green plum juice regularly contributes to better health. Main functions: strengthens the stomach, improves digestion, combats heat, stimulates saliva production, quenches thirst, relieves hangovers, stops diarrhea and dysentery, and has special therapeutic effects. How to use: Take 1–2 salted plums, add some plum water, and mix with 90% boiling water or mineral water for immediate consumption.
Red Yeast Chicken is a traditional famous dish from Fuzhou. The preparation involves simmering carefully selected tender frog meat in a lightly boiling pot of water (the water must not boil) until fully cooked, then removing and cooling it before cutting into pieces and marinating. The marinade is made by mixing MSG, salt, red yeast rice, five-spice powder, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and chicken broth until well combined. This dish features a tender, soft texture with a rich, mellow aroma, sweet…
Eight-Treasure Book Bag Fish is a traditional famous dish from Fuzhou. The "eight treasures" refer to chicken, duck liver, chicken gizzard, ham, dried laver, pork belly, pig brain, and scallops. The outer layer of this dish consists of two round, thin slices made by pan-frying egg whites. Inside, two slices of pomfret fish encase the "eight treasures," forming a book bag shape. After steaming, it is topped with cream and garnished with "mushroom ink" and "scallion brushes." The color is milky white...
Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves, a specialty of Yongtai and one of Fujian’s renowned products, are made from ripe Furong plums using traditional craftsmanship. Fu’an City in Fujian is the hometown of Furong plums, boasting the largest cultivation area and yield in China, with a history of over a thousand years. The Furong plum is a type of plum, alongside others such as Rouge Plum and Nai Plum. Plum preserves...
Made from fish, these noodles are boil-resistant, delicious, and flavorful—Fuzhou’s specialty. Produced on Huangqi Island in Fuzhou, just across the water from Taiwan. Fuzhou fish noodles are handmade noodles crafted purely from fish. Ingredients: Fresh eel, tapioca starch. Preparation: First, scrape the white, fine-textured flesh from yellow croaker, eel, and similar fish...