Braised Giant Shark Fin

Braised Giant Shark Fin

　　Braised Giant Shark Fin is a Cantonese dish from Guangdong, China. Originally a signature dish of Guangzhou’s Da San Yuan Restaurant, it was first created by “Shark Fin King” Wu Luan. Made from giant shark fins, the dish involves numerous ingredients and complex preparation techniques, resulting in a crispy yet smooth texture that is rich in nutrients — a true representative of traditional Cantonese cuisine.

　　Shark fin is the dried fin of a shark. The giant shark fin comes from the entire fin of a large shark. In Cantonese cuisine, the giant shark fin is divided into three sections: the front fin near the head is called the first section; the rear fin near the tail is called the second section; and the tail fin at the end is called the third section. The giant shark fin is considered top-tier among shark fins. Among premium seafood, shark fin was one of the last to be used in cooking.

　　The Ming Dynasty text *Ming Palace History* by Liu Ruoyu contains a vague record: “The late emperor especially loved grilled clams, stir-fried fresh shrimp, frog legs, and sliced chicken breast. He also enjoyed a dish combining sea cucumber, abalone, shark sinew, plump chicken, and pork trotters all cooked together, called ‘Three Delicacies,’ which he frequently ate.” The “shark sinew” mentioned here may refer to shark fin. A similar account appears in *Qian Que Classified Books*: “The lake shark is green, with sand-like fins on its back. After soaking off the outer skin, the fine threads make for a dish as silvery as threads.” By the Qing Dynasty, Yuan Mei officially named it in his *Suiyuan Shidan: Seafood Section*, after which it gained immense prestige and appeared regularly at banquets for distinguished guests. In the Qing Dynasty, during the Guangxu era, Hu Zijin, a native of Nanhai who earned the title of Bajiao (a scholar selected through special imperial examination), wrote in his *Guangzhou Bamboo Branch Lyrics*: “Guangzhou has long been famed for its fine cuisine, with every household boasting unique dishes. Braised dried shark fin sells for sixty silver coins per bowl — no need to mention the renowned Lian Sheng.” It includes a footnote: “Dried braised shark fin costs sixty silver coins per bowl. Lian Sheng is located on Wei Bian Street near the West Gate, a well-known old restaurant. But nowadays, places like Nan Yuan in South Gate, Mo Shang in West Gate, and Yu Lao Chun on Hui’ai Road are also highly praised.” In the 1930s, Guangzhou’s Da San Yuan Restaurant became famous for its Braised Giant Shark Fin, which was priced at sixty silver dollars. The master chef behind this dish, Wu Luan, earned the title “Shark Fin King.”