Zhejiang cuisine, alternatively known as Zhe cuisine, is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of Chinese cuisine. Zhejiang cuisine contains four different styles, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, and Wenzhou (also known as Ou cuisine). It derives from the traditional ways of cooking in Zhejiang Province, which is located south of Shanghai and centred around Hangzhou, a historical Chinese capital. In general, Zhejiang cuisine is not greasy but has a fresh and soft flavour with a mellow fragrance.[1]
Zhejiang cuisine consists of at least three styles, each originating from a major city in the province:[2]
Some sources also include the Wenzhou style (Ou cuisine) as a separate subdivision due to its proximity to Fujian Province. Wenzhou style is characterised as the greatest source of seafood as well as poultry and livestock.[4]
| English | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Picture | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 百鳥朝鳳 | 百鸟朝凤 | bǎi niǎo cháo fèng | Xiaoshan chicken is stewed in a clay pot. Steamed dumplings are then arranged around the chicken, such that it looks like the dumplings ("hundred birds") are facing the chicken ("phoenix"). | ||
| 叫化雞 | 叫化鸡 | jiàohuā jī | Although this dish is originally from Jiangsu Province, it was popularised in Hangzhou and has since been considered part of Hangzhou cuisine. | ||
| 東坡肉 | 东坡肉 | Dōngpō ròu | Fried pork belly stewed in soy sauce and wine. | ||
| Dry vegetables and stewed meat | 乾菜燜肉 | 干菜焖肉 | gān cài mèn ròu | Meigan cai stewed with pork. | |
| Fiery pupil immortal duck | 火瞳神仙鴨 | 火瞳神仙鸭 | huǒ tóng shénxiān yā | Jinhua ham stewed with duck. | |
| Fried shrimp | 油爆大蝦 | 油爆大虾 | yóu bào dà xiā | River shrimp is deep fried first and then stir-fried. | |
| Gan zha xiang ling | 乾炸響鈴 | 干炸响铃 | gān zhá xiǎng líng | Deep-fried pieces of pork tenderloin wrapped in tofu skin. | |
| Guoba with tomato and shrimp | 番茄蝦仁鍋巴 | 番茄虾仁锅巴 | fānqié xiārén guō bā | ||
| Hibiscus mud crab | 芙蓉蝤蠓 | 芙蓉蝤蠓 | fúróng qiúměng | Mud crab cooked with egg, green vegetables, chicken stock and Shaoxing wine. | |
| Home-made salted pork with spring bamboo shoots | 南肉春筍 | 南肉春笋 | nán ròu chūnsǔn | ||
| Jin yu man tang | 金玉滿堂 | 金玉满堂 | jīn yù mǎn táng | A dish composed of shrimp, Chinese perch, deep-fried chicken, pork strips, shumai, ham, crab roe and other ingredients. | |
| Large yellow croaker with pickled mustard greens | 鹹菜大湯黃魚 | 咸菜大汤黄鱼 | xiányú dà tāng huángyú | ||
| Longjing shrimp | 龍井蝦仁 | 龙井虾仁 | lóngjǐng xiārén | Shrimp cooked in Longjing tea | |
| Mi zhi da fang | 蜜汁大方 | 蜜汁大方 | mì zhī dà fāng | Ham is steamed in syrup with lotus seeds, green plums, cherries, osmanthus and other ingredients. | |
| Pearls on a palm | 掌上明珠 | 掌上明珠 | zhǎng shàng míng zhū | Fishballs ("pearls") served on a goose web ("palm"). | |
| Pregnant fresh fish | 懷胎鮮魚 | 怀胎鲜鱼 | huáitāi xiān yú | Steamed sea bass wrapped in pig's caul fat and stuffed with shrimp, Shiitake mushroom, ham and other ingredients. | |
| Razor shells with fried egg | 蛋煎蜻子 | 蛋煎蜻子 | dàn jiān qīng zǐ | A dish composed of razor shells, pork lard, water chestnut and egg. | |
| San si qiao yu | 三絲敲魚 | 三丝敲鱼 | sān sī qiāo yú | A dish composed of abalone, ham, chicken breast, lean pork, choy sum and other ingredients. | |
| Shao(xing) shrimp balls | 紹蝦球 | 绍虾球 | Shào xiā qiú | Shrimp balls wrapped in strips of deep-fried egg paste. | |
| Sister Song's Fish Soup | 宋嫂鱼羹 | A soup composed of ingredients such as Chinese perch, ham, bamboo shoots, Shiitake mushroom, egg and chicken stock. | |||
| Softshell turtle in crystallised sugar | 冰糖甲魚 | 冰糖甲鱼 | bīng táng jiǎyú | ||
| Stir-fried eel pieces | 生爆鱔片 | 生爆鳝片 | shēng bào shàn piàn | Swamp eel coated in a paste, stir-fried, and served with garlic, sugar and vinegar. | |
| Stir-fried shredded pork with egg white | 芙蓉肉 | 芙蓉肉 | fúróng ròu | ||
| Ten views of Shao(xing) | 紹十景 | 绍十景 | Shào shí jǐng | A dish composed of fishballs, meatballs, shrimp, fish maw, bamboo shoot, Shiitake mushroom, chicken gizzard and other ingredients. | |
| Wenzhou pig intestine rice noodle soup | 温州猪脏粉 | Wēnzhōu zhūzàngfěn | A rice noodle soup containing pig intestine and duck or pig blood popular in Wenzhou. | ||
| West Lake chuncai soup | 西湖蒓菜湯 | 西湖莼菜汤 | Xīhú chúncài tāng | Soup made with strips of ham, chicken breast and chuncai. | |
| West Lake fish in vinegar | 西湖醋魚 | 西湖醋鱼 | Xīhú cù yú | A grass carp served in syrup. | |
Ningbo cuisine is regarded as rather salty.[2] Ningbo confectioneries were celebrated all over China during the Qing dynasty.[5]