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Shanghai food is influenced by the areas around Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai itself.
Feature
These dishes require longer time to cook and tend to be richer than the Cantonese variety. Similar ingredients to those in Northern/Beijing food are used in preparing Shanghai food except that extensive amounts of red chilies, sesame oil and vinegar are used.
Special
"Braised Meat" is one of the specialties; the meat is cooked in different spices for a long time for the meat to absorb the flavor of spices and is more tender when its ready.
(see Recipe)
Accompaniment to Meals
Noodles or dumplings are eaten with meals.
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Example of Dishes
Crab from Hang-zhou region is one of the gourmet dishes during the autumn. Drunken Chicken, Shanghai Noodles and Dumplings are some other famous dishes.
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Some tasty Shanghai Food:
Xiao Long Bao (Little Dragon Bun):
The little dragon bun is one of my favourite dish. Unlike the buns in northern China, these buns are very small and easy to swallow. The buns are usually steamed in containers made of banboo. The skin of the buns are very thin and the bun is very juicy. The dish is now popularized and consumed widely throughout China as a Dim Sum. |
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Chou Dou Fu (Smelly Tofu):
When first smelled, one would naturally hold their nose, not to mention give it a try and swallow a piece. The smelly tofu is a popular local food mainly found on Shanghai streets. The tofu is fermanted with many ingredients before fried. Old ladies usually serve them on their liltte trolley. Dispite their odour, most foreigners love it after tasting it. It is dirt cheap too! |
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Da Zha Xie (Hairy Crab):
Da Zha Xie is a special type of crab found in rivers, and is normally consumed in the winter. The crabs are tied with ropes or strings, placed in bamboo containers, steamed and served. There is little artificial ingredient added to the dish yet it tastes fantastically good. Da Zha Xie is usually consumed with vinegar. Locals are also quite fussy about when to consume male crabs and when to consume female crabs. |
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Pi Dan (Preserved Eggs):
Preserved duck eggs are a traditional Shanghainese delicacy, and although known as "1000-year-old eggs" they are rarely more than 100 days old. It is done using a traditional method. Pidan is now very common in China, and is sometimes consumed with congee. |
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