Changde Shark Fin Banquet

Changde Shark Fin Banquet

　　Located on the banks of the Yuan River, the city of Changde has long been renowned for its fish dishes. To this day, over 20 cooking methods for fish dishes, such as “Pearl-Hiding Carp” and “Fairy Scattering Flowers,” are still passed down among the people. Among them, the “Changde Shark Fin Banquet,” rich in local characteristics and boasting a unique flavor, is especially famous far and wide. The culinary techniques of the “Changde Shark Fin Banquet” are ingenious in terms of form, color, aroma, and taste. The main ingredients are carefully selected, primarily tender and rich freshwater fish, as well as plump chicken, tender duck, soft-shell turtle, and snails. Supplementary ingredients include locally produced broad beans, lotus seeds, lettuce, tofu, and loquats; seasonings also carry distinct local flavors, featuring more than 20 types such as ginger, scallion, garlic, and chili. Its cooking methods include over 10 varieties such as steaming, braising, simmering, stewing, crisping, roasting, and deep-frying. The “Changde Shark Fin Banquet” consists of 16 to 28 dishes. Currently, the best versions of the “Changde Shark Fin Banquet” in Changde are prepared by Changde Hotel and Wangjianglou Restaurant in Jinshi, both offering over 30 different dishes. These include Spicy Chicken, Crystal Duck Cubes, Ham with Broad Beans, Crispy Walnut Kernels, Shredded Chicken with Water Bamboo Shoots, Pan-Fried Fish Slices, Deep-Fried Snails, Sour and Spicy Pork Tripe Tips, Zu’An Shark Fin, Char Siu Duck, Triple-Flavor Milk Soup, Wuling Soft-Shell Turtle, Mixed Lotus Seeds, Stir-Fried Lettuce with Mushrooms, White Sauce Bream, Twisted Three-Soup, Fragrant Minced Meat, Phoenix-Tail Lettuce, Double-Yolk Combination, Chicken-Pecked Tofu, Silver Thread Rolls, and Shrimp Crisp Parcels. (Changde)