Overview: The pan-fried mandarin fish is particularly delicate, unique, and flavorful when prepared in the Huaiyang style at Shanghai Mansion. For instance, in terms of portion size, other styles use large slices of fish paired with large slices of fat and pickled vegetable leaves; whereas the Huaiyang method features one piece per serving, with uniformly precise knife work that maintains tenderness. In flavor, while most styles opt for a salty-savory taste, the Huaiyang version adds scallions, Sichuan pepper, and aromatic vinegar to cut through the oiliness and fishiness, enhancing the overall fragrance...
is a signature dish of the Laobanzhuang Restaurant at Shanghai’s City God Temple. Established in the second year of the Guangxu reign (1876), this restaurant is renowned for its authentic Shanghainese cuisine. The “Eight-Treasure Duck” dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the 1887 revised edition of *Shanghai Travel Notes: Taverns* records that this dish was at the time...
Guild Beef Intestine Acid — the most distinctive snack in Hezhou, Guangxi, originating from Gonghui Town in Pingu District. These snack stalls are scattered throughout the streets and alleys of Hezhou city. The unique flavor of Guild Beef Intestine Acid, which combines sour, spicy, sweet, and salty tastes, captivates many locals. …
Green plums (large-fleshed plums) are one of the specialty fruits of Pinggui, with over 70,000 acres planted and an annual output of more than 20,000 tons. These plums are greenish in color, thick-fleshed, small-seeded, juicy, and tart. They are rich in various nutrients, containing 6.0% acid, 1.68% protein, 2.9% fat, 8.5% carbohydrates, as well as multiple...
Sun-cured tobacco is a traditional specialty of Pinggui Management Area and one of the high-quality tobaccos in Guangxi. The entire management area plants about 30,000 mu annually, yielding 3,500 tons per year. The leaves are thick-fleshed, deep yellow in color, richly oily, full-bodied, with a mellow and fragrant taste, producing white-gray ash and strong combustibility. It is mainly distributed in towns such as Gonghui and Shatian within the management area.…
Hezhou Snail Stew: The snails used are sourced from rural rice paddies and ponds. It takes about ten minutes or more to stew them to perfection. The dish boasts a unique, delicious aroma and an appealing presentation. The taste is rich, tender, fragrant, and smooth—truly distinctive. Snails are known for their nourishing effects on the kidneys and yin. There’s a Cantonese-sounding phrase “想螺就螺” (pronounced similarly to “want snail, get snail”) that has become a popular saying...
The braised pork of Hezhou is most famous in Huangtian, made with taro and pork belly. What sets Huangtian braised pork apart is the “double wrap,” where two uncut slices of pork belly envelop deep-fried taro. It’s rich yet not greasy, melting in the mouth. It’s also steamed in locally produced earthenware bowls. For generations, Huangtian braised pork…
Goose Pond Glutinous Rice is renowned for its small, firm, translucent grains and high oil content. It boasts a pearly white color, produces fragrant and tender cooked rice, and makes sticky yet not greasy porridge, offering exceptional nutritional value. With its outstanding color, aroma, and taste, Goose Pond Glutinous Rice is truly a delicacy among rice varieties, long celebrated and well-known across Lingnan. Throughout history, Goose Pond Glutinous Rice has…
Water chestnuts (eleocharis dulcis) are a major agricultural product in Pinggui Management District, Hezhou City, primarily grown in towns such as Shatian and Etang. The total planting area of water chestnuts in the district is 47,500 mu, with an annual output of 95,000 tons. Water chestnuts are a health food that can be consumed both as a fruit and a vegetable. They can be eaten fresh or processed into a variety of products such as canned water chestnuts, water chestnut starch, and water chestnut cake, which have...
Xinzhou Sanhuang Chicken is named for its yellow feathers, yellow beak, and yellow feet. It is mainly sold in Guangdong, Hainan, and Hong Kong and Macau, where it enjoys exceptionally strong sales. The Sanhuang Chicken is of moderate size, with a compact build, fine bones, tender meat, firm muscle, delicious taste, and fragrant yet not greasy flavor—making it especially suitable for making “Baiqieji” (white-cut chicken), a famous traditional dish beloved in the “Liangguang” (Guangdong and Guangxi) region. It has long been known for being fresh, smooth, tender, and aromatic...
A famous vegetarian dish from Shanghai. Gluten is made by fermenting flour with seasonings, then steaming it into a wheat protein product. Regular gluten is not easily infused with flavors, but the renowned Shanghai vegetarian restaurant “Gongdelin” created a special type of gluten that, when cooked, offers excellent texture and taste, making it highly popular and enduringly famous. Ingredients: 500g gluten, 200g bamboo shoots, 100g shiitake mushrooms,…
Scallion oil noodles are a famous snack from Shanghai. The preparation of scallion oil noodles is very particular. First, the white part of the scallions is cut into inch-long segments and fried in warm oil (this method produces scallion oil that is deep reddish-yellow in color, richly aromatic, and can instantly whet your appetite). Then, the scallion oil is combined with dried shrimp (known as "kaiyang") that has been stir-fried in vegetable oil and marinated in wine and sugar, resulting in...
In Shanghai, buns are called "mantou," so pan-fried pork buns are literally "pan-fried steamed buns." These buns can be considered an authentic Shanghainese dim sum, with a history said to span over a hundred years. The buns are made with semi-fermented dough wrapped around fresh pork and pork skin jelly, arranged in rows in a flat-bottomed pan and pan-fried. During the cooking process, water is poured in several times...
River shrimp are known for their large heads, delicious taste, and rich nutrition, originating from the Shanghai-Hangzhou area. To turn the shrimp into translucent white, they need to be stir-fried in advance and then seasoned. In this way, a plate of fragrant, tender, and crystal-clear crystal river shrimp is ready to serve.…
Vegetarian steamed buns are a specialty dim sum at “Chunfeng Songyue Lou,” located near Yu Garden. These buns are known for their pure white exterior and vibrant green filling. Made with ingredients such as leafy greens, gluten, shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, and spiced tofu, they are seasoned with sesame oil and sugar. As soon as the bamboo steamer is opened, the aroma fills the room. The buns excel in color, shape, and taste. …
“Eight-Treasure Spicy Sauce” is a famous specialty dish from Shanghai, improved from the traditional “Stir-Fried Spicy Sauce.” The original “Stir-Fried Spicy Sauce” was a common home-style dish, once sold at food stalls. With its deep color and rich flavor, it paired perfectly with rice. In the 1940s, chefs at Tonghe Restaurant on Jiujiang Road, inspired by the cooking method of the local Shanghai dish “Happy Family,” added a “lid” of shrimp on top of the stir-fried spicy sauce and enriched the ingredients used in the base. They used eight main ingredients—shrimp, chicken, duck gizzard, pork leg meat, pork tripe, dried shrimp, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots—to create this dish, hence the name “Eight-Treasure Spicy Sauce.” The dish has a spicy, savory, and slightly sweet taste that is deeply flavorful, and it quickly became very popular with diners. Later, many restaurants in Shanghai began to imitate it, and the “Eight-Treasure Spicy Sauce” spread widely.
【Ingredients】 500g flour, 500g cooked pork, 150g minced pork, 50g lard, 50g bamboo shoots, 25g shiitake mushrooms, 25g soy sauce, 60g sugar, monosodium glutamate, cooking wine, scallions, and ginger as needed. 【Preparation Method】 1、Take the flour, scald it with boiling water, knead well until smooth and elastic,…
Braised Shredded Chicken, Ham and Bamboo Shoots Braised Shredded Chicken, Ham and Bamboo Shoots was originally a home-style dish from the suburbs of Shanghai. A single piece of soaked dried mushroom is placed in the center at the bottom of a bowl, surrounded by six portions of shredded cooked ham, bamboo shoots, and chicken arranged neatly. The gaps are filled tightly with shredded cooked pork, then the bowl is steamed until fully cooked. The contents are then carefully unmolded into a serving bowl, topped with clear broth. The dish features exquisitely fine knife work, neat and attractive presentation, crystal-clear broth, and a...
Mao Tai Chicken is made by deep-frying a whole chicken until golden, then simmering it in a clay pot with broth and seasonings over low heat until tender. The chicken is deboned, chopped into pieces, and then shaped along with shrimp balls, mushrooms, and moss-like greens to resemble a whole hen sitting on eggs. The original broth is heated with Mao Tai liquor to reduce and thicken, then poured over the chicken to finish the dish. It features a golden color, rich aroma, and tender, juicy texture.…
Stinky tofu has always been a traditional snack that smells foul but tastes delicious. When deep-fried, it becomes even more irresistible. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served with various sauces, it leaves a lingering aftertaste.…