Huaiyang cuisine is one of the four major cuisines in China. It is mainly popular in Huai'an, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang and other regions of Jiangsu Province. It is famous for its freshness and mildness, rigorous use of ingredients, and emphasis on original taste.

Huaiyang cuisine originated in the pre-Qin period and is a representative cuisine in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Huaiyang cuisine is centered on Huai'an and Yangzhou, integrating local cuisine characteristics from Zhenjiang and other places, forming unique cooking techniques and flavors. Huaiyang cuisine pays attention to the selection of ingredients and knife skills. It pays attention to heat when cooking and emphasizes the original flavor. It is famous for its freshness, gentleness and rigorous use of ingredients. Traditional famous dishes of Huaiyang cuisine include stewed eel, crab meat and lion head, boiled dried shreds, etc. These dishes are characterized by light taste, exquisite ingredients and fine preparation.

Huaiyang cuisine was historically the representative of official cuisine in the Jiangnan region, and it was once a state banquet dish during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Huaiyang cuisine has gradually won praise from diners at home and abroad for its unique cooking techniques and flavor.

Characteristics of Huaiyang cuisine

1. Rigorous selection of ingredients: Huaiyang cuisine pays attention to the freshness and quality of ingredients, and mostly uses local specialty seasonal ingredients and fresh aquatic products. When selecting ingredients, pay attention to reasonable combinations and highlight the original flavor of the raw materials.

2. Fine knife skills: Huaiyang cuisine has extremely high requirements for knife skills and pays attention to the shape and size of the raw materials. Exquisite knife skills can make the ingredients more flavorful after cooking, presenting exquisite dishes.

3. Unique cooking: Huaiyang cuisine has unique cooking techniques, focusing on the control of heat and cooking time. In the cooking process, slow-fire cooking methods such as stewing, braising, and simmering are often used to make the dishes have original flavor, mellow soup, and delicious taste.

4. Light and mild taste: Huaiyang cuisine is characterized by lightness and mildness, focusing on the taste of the food itself. The taste of the dishes is mild and moderate, not too salty, sweet, spicy or sour, making people feel comfortable and natural after tasting.