Fujian cuisine

Fujian cuisineorFujianese cuisine, also known asMin cuisineorHokkien cuisine, is one of the native Chinese cuisines derived from the cooking style ofChina'sFujian Province, most notably from the provincial capital,Fuzhou. "Fujian cuisine" in this article refers to the cuisines of Min Chinese speaking people within Fujian. Other cuisines in Fujian includeHakka cuisine, and the ethnic minority cuisines of theSheandTanka people. Fujian cuisine is known to be light but flavourful, soft, and tender, with particular emphasis onumamitaste, known in Chinese cooking asxianwei(鲜味;鮮味;xiān wèi;sian bī), as well as retaining the original flavour of the main ingredients instead of masking them.
Many diverse seafood and woodland delicacies are used, including a myriad variety of local fish, shellfish and turtles, or indigenousedible mushroomsandbamboo shoots, provided by the coastal and mountainous regions of Fujian.The most commonly employedcooking techniquesin the region's cuisine includebraising,stewing, steaming and boiling.
As the people of Fujian often travel to and from the sea, their food customs have gradually formed a unique cuisine with creative characteristics. Fujian cuisine is famous for preparing mountain and seafood based on good color, aroma, and shape, especially "fragrance" and "taste." Its fresh, mellow, meaty, non-greasy style characteristics and the features of a wide range of soups take a unique place in the field of Chinese cuisine.
Particular attention is paid on the finesse of knife skills and cooking technique of the chefs, which is used to enhance the flavour, aroma and texture of seafood and other foods.Strong emphasis is put on the making and utilising of broth and soups.There are sayings in the region's cuisine: "One broth can be changed into numerous (ten) forms" (一汤十变;一湯十變;yī tāng shí biàn;chit thong sip piàn) and "It is unacceptable for a meal to not have soup" (不汤不行;不湯不行;bù tāng bù xíng;put thong put hêng).
Fermented fish sauce, known locally as "shrimp oil" (虾油;蝦油;xiā yóu;hâ iû), is also commonly used in the cuisine, along withoyster, crab and shrimp.Peanuts(utilised for both savoury dishes and desserts) are also prevalent, and can be boiled, fried, roasted, crushed, ground or even turned into a paste. Peanuts can be used as a garnish, feature in soups and even be added to braised or stir-fried dishes.
Fujian cuisine has had a profound impact onTaiwanese cuisineand on theoverseas Chinesecuisines found in Southeast Asia (particularly theMalay Archipelago) as the majority of Taiwanese and Southeast Asian Chinese people have ancestral roots in Fujian province.
Fujian cuisine consists of several styles:
Unique seasonings from Fujian includefish sauce,shrimp paste,sugar,shacha sauceand preservedapricot.Wine leesfrom the production ofrice wineis also commonly used in all aspects of the region's cuisine.Red yeast rice(红麴/红糟酱;紅麴/紅糟醬;hóngqū/hóngzāojiàng;ângkhak/ângchauchiòng) is also commonly used in Fujian cuisine, imparting a rosy-red hue to the foods, pleasant aroma, and slightly sweet taste.
Fujian is also well known for its "drunken" (wine marinated) dishes and is famous for the quality of the soup stocks and bases used to flavour their dishes, soups and stews.
One of the most famous dishes in Fujian cuisine is "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall", a complex dish making use of many ingredients, includingshark's fin,sea cucumber,abaloneandShaoxing wine.
Fujian is also notable foryanpi(燕皮;yàn pí;ian phî), literally "swallowskin," a thin wrapper made with large proportions of lean minced pork. This wrapper has a unique texture due to the incorporation of meat and has a "bite" similar to things made withsurimi. Yanpi is used to makerouyan(肉燕;ròu yàn;he̍k ian), a type ofwonton.
There are many eating places around the province that sell these specialties for twoyuan, and which are thus known as "two-yuan eateries". InXiamen, a local specialty is worm jelly (土笋冻;土笋凍;tǔ sǔn dòng), anaspicmade from a species ofmarine peanut worm.