Chaozhou cuisine is popular in the Chaoshan area where Shantou is located. It is one of the three major cuisines in Guangdong (the other two are Cantonese cuisine and Hakka cuisine).
The formation and development of Chaozhou cuisine has a long history.
Han Yu, a great writer in the Tang Dynasty, once wrote "Chu Nan Food: Eighteen Association Rules of Yiyuan", which is a famous chapter introducing Chaoshan cuisine in ancient times. It can be seen from the poem that as early as the Tang Dynasty, the cooking skills in Chaoshan area had reached a peak
Very high level.
Chaozhou cuisine is famous for cooking seafood. From the selection of ingredients to the sauces and condiments, they all require freshness and deliciousness, light but not bland, fresh but not fishy, ??rich but not greasy.
Mandarin duck cream crab, baked oysters, crab balls in clear soup, etc. are the representative masterpieces of Chaozhou cuisine.
Chaoshan snacks are an important part of Chaoshan food culture. Past dynasties of folk dim sum masters have learned from the strengths of other families, searched for local specialties, carefully crafted them, and gradually accumulated them to form rich and colorful gastronomic works of art with unique local characteristics.
It is also famous for its diverse varieties, exquisite materials, fine production, unique ingredients and delicious taste.
●Name: Spring Pancake Introduction: Originally a food on the first day of spring, it was called spring pancake in the Tang and Song Dynasties.
After the Qing Dynasty, the production was improved, and the fillings were composed of celery, leeks, and bamboo shoots, which symbolized hard work, longevity, and prosperity.
Later, it became a snack available at all times, called spring cakes.
The production materials are gradually improved.
Ingredients and preparation methods of modern Chaoshan spring pancakes: Spread the pancake skin made of fabric, add mung bean wedges, pork, shrimp meat, and fragrant ruts that are evenly mixed with fish sauce, monosodium glutamate, pepper, sesame oil, and lard.
Wrap the dried shrimps and minced garlic into a roll, stick the joints tightly with thin batter, and fry in an oil pan at about 180°C until golden brown.
Its characteristics are: crispy outer skin and fragrant filling.
●Name: Caitou Cake Introduction: Folk snack.
Also known as carrot cake.
Caitou is the common name for radish, and Caitou Cake is a kind of local rice cake in Chaoshan. During the New Year season, every household steams it.
When making it, first scrape off the rough skin of the radish, grate it into shreds, stir-fry it in a pot until soft, add sausage dices, shrimp dices, mushroom dices, celery dices, and an appropriate amount of MSG, refined salt, and pepper, and mix well with the rice milk and potato starch.
, then put it into a steamer (put a cloth on the bottom of the basket first) and steam until it is cooked. When a chopstick is inserted into it, it will not stick.
Another method: Stir the shredded radish directly into the rice flour and other ingredients without frying, mix well with water and then steam it in a steamer.
When eating, cut the cabbage cake into pieces and fry in a pan until golden brown.
The cabbage cake is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It tastes fragrant but not sweet.
●Name: Duck Mother's Noodles Introduction: This traditional snack was first created in the early Qing Dynasty. It was originally called glutinous rice glutinous rice balls. Nowadays, Duck Mother's Noodles made by Hu Rongquan, a traditional famous store at the end of Taiping Road in Chaozhou City, is the most authentic.
Duck mother twist is similar to the glutinous rice balls in the north, and the traditional production requirements are strict.
There are four kinds of fillings in duck mother twist, namely mung bean filling, red bean paste, taro paste and sesame candy. The filling of each piece is about 15 grams.
Put the duck mother into sugar water and cook until it floats to the surface.
Traditionally, three pieces of duck mother's cake are sold in each bowl, and the fillings of each ball are different. In order to distinguish the different fillings of each ball, when wrapping, the duck mother's cake with different fillings has different shapes. For example, some shapes are slightly round, and some are slightly round.
Slightly pointed, etc., each has its mark.
●Name: Mung Bean Cake Introduction: Shan Zhanglin Ancient Port was the "gathering place" for "red-headed ships" in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, virtuous women in thousands of households often like to make gourmet cakes - mung bean cakes. The traditional techniques and processing methods are exquisite. After steaming, they become golden and crystal clear, with a sweet and fragrant taste and a unique flavor.
It is not only a delicious medicinal pastry that is suitable for the season, but also a nutritious delicacy unique to Zhanglin’s food culture. It can be called the leader in Mid-Autumn Pastries in Chaoshan area.
●Name: Preserved vegetable introduction: Made from local radish, seasoned with salt, and made by traditional pickling and sun-drying. It is a traditional side dish served at home in the Chaoshan area. It has a crispy texture and is a great food to accompany meals and as gifts for relatives and friends.
●Name: Cao Kuei Cao Kuei Touhua, the "emotional food" of Shantou people (picture) Introduction: Cao Kueh is made from a kind of hay called Cao Kuai grass, and a little sweet potato powder is added to condense it, and it is stored in a small vat.
Cover with lid.
When buying, there is a tableware rack and brown sugar on one end, and dishwashing water is placed under the rack; a small vat is on the other end.
When sold, use a copper spoon to cut the top layer of the straw cake into a bowl, add powdered sugar and a drop of orange paste.
When selling straw cakes in rural areas of Chaoyang and Puning, you use a porous copper coin plane to scoop up the condensed grass cakes in the bowl and shape them into strips, add brown sugar, and eat them warm or cold.
Eating grass cake can relieve the heat, but it should not be left overnight.
If it rains, people won't eat.
There is a saying in Teochew dialect that goes, "When the straw cake is cooked, the weather will change."
Describes seasonal changes and bad luck in business.
●Name: Taro Introduction: Taro used to be a seasonal food during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
After peeling the skin of the taro, cut it into finger-shaped pieces and fry it in an oil pan until cooked.
After a while, put the taro pieces into the oil to remove the water vapor.
Then add an appropriate amount of water with white sugar, put it into a pot and cook until the sugar water sticks like glue, add the taro cubes, mix well, pick up and take it off the stove immediately.
●Name: Braised Goose Intestine Introduction: After brine, the fishy smell of the goose is removed, the goose meat is plump, soft and tender, and there is an aftertaste after eating. It is best to drink some wine while eating.
●Name: Chaoshan Oyster Roast Introduction: Oyster Roast is a unique snack in Chaoshan. Foreigners always have to try this delicacy when visiting Chaoshan.