Qianjiang Braised Crayfish

Qianjiang Braised Crayfish

　　In September 2011, the China Cuisine Association, the most authoritative culinary authority in China, issued Announcement No. 11 (2011), awarding Qianjiang Braised Crayfish the title of “China’s Famous Dish.” On May 28, 2012, at the 3rd China Hubei Qianjiang Crayfish Festival, Lu Yongliang, Vice President of the China Cuisine Association, presented the plaque for “China’s Famous Dish — Qianjiang Braised Crayfish.”

This is currently the only dish in Qianjiang to have been awarded the title of “China’s Famous Dish,” and its honor was hard-earned. Speaking of Qianjiang Braised Crayfish, one must mention “Xiao Lizi Braised Crayfish.” In 1996, Li Daijun from Wangchang Town opened a small food stall on Er Road, Wǔqī Drilling Front, Jianghan Oilfield, under the sign “Xiao Lizi Restaurant,” known for selling braised chicken. By chance, Li Daijun developed a method to cook braised shrimp meat and shell-on braised shrimp tails, attracting many diners. After repeated refinements, “Xiao Lizi” officially launched this new dish featuring crayfish as the star — “Braised Crayfish” — in 1999, which quickly drew food enthusiasts from far and wide. In 2004, Chen Lirong, a laid-off female worker from Jianghan Oilfield, brought Qianjiang crayfish to the capital and later introduced the “Hong Toutian” series of crayfish products, making them available in major supermarkets. In 2006, when CCTV-7’s “Wealth Creation” program crew came to Qianjiang for an interview, “Braised Crayfish” quickly rose to fame, becoming a major brand in Qianjiang’s catering industry. It gradually expanded beyond Qianjiang, reaching across the nation and around the world.

It is understood that crayfish are rich in trace elements such as zinc, selenium, manganese, and copper, as well as efficient bioactive substances like chitosan and astaxanthin, which can effectively enhance human immunity, resistance, and anti-aging capabilities, with particularly notable dietary and medicinal benefits. Qianjiang Braised Crayfish uses naturally wild-farmed “Qianjiang Crayfish” as its main ingredient and is prepared using Qianjiang’s unique “braised” cooking method. The resulting dish features bright, appealing colors, a deliciously spicy and savory taste, and high nutritional value.

Currently, there are over 2,000 specialty crayfish restaurants in Qianjiang, capable of serving tens of thousands of diners simultaneously, with annual catering revenue exceeding 200 million yuan. Representative Qianjiang Braised Crayfish eateries such as “Xiao Lizi,” “Hong Toutian,” “Time-Honored Brand,” and “Crayfish Emperor” continue to innovate under the impetus of the “China’s Famous Dish” title. They have now developed eight major series tailored to different consumer groups: braised crayfish, marinated crayfish, steamed crayfish, soaked crayfish, soup crayfish (i.e., boiled crayfish), grilled crayfish, stir-fried crayfish tails (crayfish balls), and frozen crayfish, receiving over 500,000 domestic and international tourists each year who come to Qianjiang especially to try the “Qianjiang Braised Crayfish.”

Today, “Qianjiang Braised Crayfish” has gradually become a “cultural symbol” and a “calling card” of Qianjiang, serving as a window through which the nation and the world come to know Qianjiang.