Classic ingredients of Cantonese cuisine: whole seahorses in soup

▲In Cantonese cuisine, also known as Guangzhou cuisine, seahorses surprisingly appear in dishes (bottom right). (Photo by reporter Chen Ziying)

Reported by Chen Ziying / Taipei

Wide sourcing and rich variety of ingredients are the hallmarks of Guangzhou cuisine. As the saying goes, “Anything that flies in the sky, crawls on the ground, or swims in the water can be found in Guangzhou dishes.” The essential soups of Guangzhou cuisine are classic for their rich flavors and wholesome ingredients. Recently, restaurants have revived long-hidden delicacies of Guangzhou, drawing inspiration from one of the city’s four signature culinary styles—the Cantonese cuisine (alongside Teochew, Hakka, and Shunde cuisines). Among them, the commonly known “seahorse” is used in soups. The broth, free of any added seasonings, is naturally sweet, and seahorses are a common traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient known for nourishing kidneys and relaxing tendons.


▲Chef Jiang simmers whole seahorses in the soup, allowing their essence to infuse the broth. (Photo by reporter Chen Ziying)

This rare-in-Taiwan dish, “Dried Scallop and Tender Chicken with Dried Seahorse,” was described by Chef Li Haosheng, the Cantonese head chef at Sheraton Taipei Hotel’s Chenyuan Chinese Restaurant, as follows: “The star ingredient is a seahorse sun-dried for a full year. When selecting it, you must feel its belly to ensure it’s firm enough—that’s how you know it’s good. And during the process, no other drying methods can be used, to preserve its high protein content.” The tender chicken soup is simmered for two to three hours before dried scallops and seahorses are added, and then the mixture is simmered for another two hours. The essence of the seahorses is released into the soup. “Both seahorses and pipefish are used in the soup.” Though the sight of seahorses may be a bit startling, Chef Li explains that both seahorses and pipefish are common in traditional Guangzhou dishes. However, pipefish is harder to come by, so seahorses are typically used instead. Although seahorses don’t stand out in flavor, they are very beneficial for strengthening the body.

%Nanbu chu qian gou wan jia xiang cheng zui hou lang si ren ren wei guang zhou ren de mei shi zai yu bu zai yu diao liu fa zhan, er zai yu xiao shi ti ti zhi ti de bu zhou. (Ji, reporter Lun Suo)

“Cantonese cuisine tends to be light, but it pursues freshness within that lightness and beauty within that subtlety.” It also evolves with the seasons—lighter in summer and autumn, richer in winter and spring—and uses just the right accents to bring out the most natural flavors of the ingredients. Chef Li Haosheng recently traveled to Guangzhou to learn firsthand and, from August 25 to September 8, introduced a selection of refined Cantonese dishes. Other highlights include “Mustard and Vinegar Marinated Whelk Meat,” where the “pearl of the plate”—whelk meat—is marinated in Zhenjiang aged vinegar. Sourced from the sea, this tender yet chewy whelk retains its delicate texture with minimal seasoning, offering a natural oceanic taste that lingers on the palate. Then there’s “Chaozhou-Style Fermented Bean Paste Cold Fish,” which emphasizes preserving the sweet, smooth, and tender taste of the fish. The fresh fish is poached, deboned, and cut into pieces. Once cooked, the fish is tender without being raw, light yet flavorful, and served with the famous Puning fermented bean paste for a sweet and savory taste.