China's Eight Great Cuisines

Hui (Anhui) Cuisine

• Distinctives: many wild plant/animal ingredients, more stewing and oil.
• Cooking methods: focus on controlling cooking time and temperature to protect the nutritions of Ingredients.
• Location:  Anhui Province (inland E. China)Huangshan (Yellow Mts.), Hefei.
• Typical plates: Qingming Guo；Pickled Mandarin Fish；Crab-Shell Yellow or Crab-Shell Pancakes etc.

( Qingming Guo )

Zhe (Zhejiang) Cuisine

• Distinctives: mellow flavors, seafood, artistry, many cooking methods
• Cooking methods: Sautéing, Braising, Stewing...
• Location: East China, Zhejiang Province — Hangzhou
• Typical plates: Dongpo Pork (Stir-Fried Pork); Beggar's Chicken;West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy

( Dongpo Prok )

Min (Fujian) Cuisine

• Distinctives: lighter, with a sweet and sour taste, using ingredients from the sea and the mountains.
• Cooking methods: pan-frying, deep-frying, boiling, baking, stewing, mixing, sautéing with wine, stewing in gravy, grilling, cooking with red rice wine, simmering, stir-frying, smoking, braising and salting.
• Location: Southeast China, Fujian Province, Xiamen, Quanzhou
• Typical plates: Buddha Jumping Wall (Sea Food and Poultry Casserole); Stewed Chicken with Three Cups Sauce;Sweet and Sour Litchis

( Buddha Jumping Wall )

Yue (Cantonese) Cuisine

• Distinctives:lightly cooked fresh vegetables and meat, and sweet sauces.
• Cooking methods: Stir frying and steaming to preserve the food's original flavor.
• Location: Southeast China — Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau...
• Typical plates: Barbequed Pork; White Cut Chicken;Cantonese Seafood Soup; Dim sum

( Dim sum )

Xiang (Hunan) Cuisine

• Distinctives: Quite spicy, with a hot and sour taste
• Cooking methods: boil soups or stews, stir-fry, sauté, bake, braise, smoke, pickle or ferment.
• Location: Hunan Province (southern central China) — Changsha, Zhangjiajie
• Typical plates: Steamed Fish Head with Diced Spicy Red Peppers; Steamed Hams; Spicy Chicken

( Steamed Fish Head with Diced Spicy Red Peppers )

Lu (Shandong) Cuisine

• Distinctives: salty and crispy, favoring braising and seafood.
• Cooking methods: Extreme heat stir frying; Fried dough coating method
• Location: northern east-coast China — Qingdao, Jinan, Qufu, Mount Tai
• Typical plates: Four Joy Meatballs; Stewed Pork Hock; Diced Pork Cooked in a Pot

(Four Joy Meatballs )

Chuan (Sichuan) Cuisine

• Distinctives: deep and rich flavours; The Five Fragrances" which consist of fennel, pepper, aniseed, cinnamon, and clove; chili and Sichuan pepper.
• Cooking methods: stir-frying, steaming, braising, baking, and the most popular of which is fast-frying.
• Location: Sichuan, Chongqin
• Typical plates: Sichuan Hotpot; Water Boiled Beef; Dandan Noodles; Kung Pao Chicken; Mapo tofu

(Mapo tofu )