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Sampling culinary classics from Wenzhou
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WENZHOU, a city in east China’s Zhejiang Province not far from Hangzhou, boasts its own unique culinary traditions. Originally known as Ou cuisine, thanks to the Ou River which runs through the city, the food of Wenzhou is known for its fish and other local ingredients. Indeed, yellow croakers, shrimp, crabs and oysters have been staples of the Wenzhou diet for hundreds of years.
Here the Shanghai Daily serves up three classic Wenzhou dishes that diners can sample in Hangzhou.
Aside from seafood, pork is a staple meat among the Wenzhou people. One popular pork-based dish is zhuzang vermicelli — soupy noodles featuring duck blood curds and pig intestines.
Today, the dish is popular among overseas Chinese communities, having been spread by migrants and business people from Wenzhou over the past several decades. For many gastronomes though, authentic zhuzang vermicelli can be found only in Wenzhou, where a few old chefs still stick by the original recipe.
Firstly, to make the intestines more palatable, chefs simmer them in rice wine, soy sauce, sliced ginger, soybean paste and other spices for at least one hour. Softened noodles and duck blood curd are then added to the simmering broth. Finally, a pinch of shredded shallots is added for flavor.
Over recent years, chefs have moved away from this simple original recipe. To preserve the traditional taste of this classic dish, local authorities have listed it as a piece of Wenzhou’s intangible cultural heritage.
Where to eat:
• Kaola Chihuo Restaurant
Address: 9 Lianhuafeng Rd
Tel: (0571) 8779-9988
For many, qiao yu — or “hammered fish” — epitomizes Wenzhou cooking. This simple fish dish is easy to make and often appears on local tables.
First, local fish are sliced into thin strips and coated with starch. These strips are then hammered into thin fillets and stewed with shredded ham, mushrooms and cabbage.
The yellow croaker, a local species of croaker fish, is often used as the main ingredient due to its delicate texture as well as the legend surrounding the dish’s origins.
It is said that long time ago, an old Wenzhou monk drowned at sea while on a pilgrimage. To release his soul from suffering, a young monk chanted sutras by the sea, where he saw a school of glittering golden fish that reminded him of the old monk’s yellow cassock.
Out of anger, the young monk caught these fish and began striking them with a hammer. Nearby fishermen picked up the hammered fish meat and began cooking it with other ingredients. And with this, a Wenzhou food tradition was born.
Where to eat:
• Benjia Seafood Noodle Restaurant
Address: 397 Wenyi Rd W.
Tel: 135-8778-1011
Isinglass, a gelatin obtained from fish, is highly rich in protein and low on fat. For this reason, many consider it ideal for pregnant women and the elderly.
Among people in Wenzhou, the most common way to cook isinglass is to stew it with rice wine, which removes the fishy smell and adds flavor to the gelatin. Red dates, Chinese caterpillar fungus and shredded ginseng are often put into the soup to add nutrition.
Where to eat:
• Hangzhou Tianhui Hotel
Address: 22 Qianchao Rd
Tel: (0571) 8160-5555
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