Zhejiang cuisine is one of the eight traditional cuisines in China. It has beautiful mountains and clear waters and rich products. Therefore, the proverb goes: ” There is heaven above, and Suzhou and Hangzhou below .” Zhejiang Province is located on the coast of the East China Sea, with a network of waterways in the north, known as the land of fish and rice. The hills in the southwest are undulating, rich in precious mountain game.
The east coast is densely covered with fishing grounds and rich in aquatic resources. There are more than 500 species of economic fish and shellfish products. The total output value ranks first in the country. The products are rich in products, delicious dishes, unique characteristics, and have a reputation.
Zhejiang Cuisine Features
Summary
Zhejiang cuisine is based on the above four schools. On the whole, it has obvious characteristics and styles but also has four common characteristics: an exquisite selection of materials, unique cooking, emphasis on original flavor, and fine production.
Choose materials carefully
The raw materials pay attention to the variety and seasons to fully reflect the tenderness and crispness of the raw materials. The seafood, fruits, and vegetables used are all seasonal, and the poultry and livestock used are mostly special products, which fully reflects the selection of Zhejiang cuisine. Fresh and lively, the materials used to pay attention to the parts, and the material selection principles of the “four seasons” are followed.
The selection of materials is engraved for “fine, special, fresh, and tender.”
- Fine: Fine, focus on selecting the essence of raw materials to keep the dishes elegant and superior;
- Special: namely special products. Pay attention to the selection of local seasonal specialties to highlight the local characteristics of the dishes;
- Fresh: fresh and live, pay attention to the selection of raw materials such as seasonal fruits and vegetables and fresh seafood to ensure the pure taste of the dishes;
- Tenderness: that is, tender and tender, pay attention to the selection of new and tender raw materials to ensure the freshness and crispness of the dishes.
Unique cooking
Zhejiang cuisine is well-known at home and abroad for its rich and colorful cooking techniques, among which 6 types of fried, fried, braised, braised, steamed, and roasted are good. “The method of cooked food is the heaviest heart.” There are more than 30 types of cooking methods commonly used in Zhejiang cuisine. The six techniques he is good at have their own advantages:
- Stir-fry, it is good at smooth fry, it is required to be quick to become a dish, the finished product has a smooth and tender texture, thin oil and light gorgon, refreshing and delicious but not greasy;
- Deep-fried, the dishes are loose on the outside and tender on the inside, striving to be tender and mellow, and the heat is just right. They are good at wrapping and frying;
- Stewed, stewed dishes made with the technique of stew, the soup is as fresh and tender and the soup is thick;
- The dishes made by the technique of slurping and slurping pay attention to heat and ingredients, and the main ingredients need to be fresh and tender, highlighting the fresh and pure taste of the raw materials;
- Steaming, pay attention to ingredients and cooking temperature, the main ingredients are fresh and tender;
- The dishes cooked by the technique of burning and burning are also known for firework. The raw materials are required to be braised and crispy, and the aroma is delicious.
Dishes introduction
West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy（西湖醋鱼）
West Lake Vinegar Fish is a classic Zhejiang dish, known as one of the four famous Hangzhou dishes, and belongs to the Hangzhou cuisine of Zhejiang cuisine. This dish was first made in the Southern Song Dynasty and became famous because of the story of “uncle and sister-in-law passing on the treasure”. Its characteristics are bright red color, tender fish meat, crab flavor, sweet and sour taste. Grass carp is mainly used in cooking, and sweet and sour sauce is poured on it after it is cooked. This dish is not only fresh and tender, but also has extremely high nutritional value.
Souteed Shrimp Mear with Longjing Tea（龙井虾仁）
Longjing shrimp is a famous dish in Hangzhou and a representative of Hangzhou cuisine in Zhejiang cuisine. This dish uses Longjing tea and fresh shrimp as the main ingredients before and after the Qingming Festival. The color is white and green, the shrimp is white, and the buds and leaves are fragrant. Its uniqueness lies in the combination of tea and shrimp, which makes the shrimp have the fragrance of tea and the tea has the deliciousness of shrimp. This dish originated from an incognito visit by Emperor Qianlong. He accidentally put tea into the shrimp when cooking, but accidentally created a delicious dish. Today, it has become a popular delicacy in Hangzhou and even in Zhejiang Province.
Dongpo’s braised pork(东坡肉)
Dongpo’s braised pork is one of the four famous dishes in Hangzhou, and it originated from the great poet Su Shi. The characteristics of this dish are that it has a bright red appearance and a greasy color. It tastes fat but not greasy, and it tastes sweet and glutinous, with a rich and mellow flavor and a strong wine aroma. Although its main ingredient is pork belly, the production process is very particular and requires long-term stewing over low heat. This dish not only connects the past and the present, but also occupies an important position on the food list due to its unique cooking skills and taste.
Songsao Fish Soup(宋嫂鱼羹)
Songsao Fish Soup is a traditional dish in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. It belongs to the Zhejiang cuisine – Hangzhou cuisine. The dish was created during the Chunxi period of the Southern Song Dynasty.
Songsao Fish Soup is usually made by steaming mandarin fish or sea bass, removing the skin and bones, and adding ham shreds, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, chicken soup and other condiments.
After the dish is out of the oven, it is shiny, tender and smooth, and tastes like crab meat.
Steamed Turtle in Crystal Sugar Soup(冰糖甲鱼)
Rock sugar turtle is a famous traditional dish in Ningbo, Zhejiang, and belongs to the Ningbo cuisine of Zhejiang cuisine. It is also known as “Du Zhan Ao Tou” and is the first of Ningbo’s top ten famous dishes. This dish has a delicious and plump taste, with the characteristics of sweetness at the beginning and salty taste at the end. It tastes soft, glutinous, sweet, sour and salty, and has a unique flavor. Stewing turtle with rock sugar has the functions of nourishing yin, regulating the middle, replenishing deficiency, invigorating qi, and removing heat. It is a tonic.
