China Eight: Shandong Cuisine

Shandong Province is a large fertile peninsula in East China located on the lower reaches of the Yellow River and is bordered by the Bohai and the Yellow seas. It covers 156,700 square kilometres and has a population of 91 million.

Definition

A strongly flavoured cuisine that relies upon spring onionsand garlic, featuring locally plentiful seafood. Clear soups and offal dishes and sweet and sour flavours predominate. Food from the Jinan and Jiaodong cuisines is a strong influence.

History

Shandong cuisine dates to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and is known to have influenced imperial cuisine. Historically traditional forms of the food -- no MSG, no sugar, no lard -- differ from many modern local variations. However, as the region borders the sea with mountains and fertile plains, abundant seafood, fish and grain have remained its principle ingredients.

Recipe Book

In the kitchen: salted fermented bean curd, garlic, spring onions, wheat flour, sea salt (and excellent cutting skills)

At the cooker: quick-fry, stir-fry and deep-fry (over a hot fire) and roast

On the table: peanuts, whole garlic, spring onions

Local Flavour

Yellow River Carp (river fish)

Yellow River Carp is synonymous with Shandong cuisine and comes from the Zhengzhou region of the Yellow River where land is flat and currents are slow and a wide, mineral-rich riverbed creates a perfect environment for fish to flourish.

According to legend, many Chinese dragons begin life as fish. With great magical powers they successfully jump rapids and leap over waterfalls before becoming fish-dragons. The carp is associated with this legend and a popular saying "The carp has leaped through the dragon's gate," is used to denote success in Chinese society. 

Fish is always served on New Year's Eve in China and symbolizes prosperity and hopes for great wealth.

Sound Bite

Name: Amily (Sun Xin)

Age:  31

From: Zi Bo

In my childhood: "I remember from my teenage years been given steamed chicken, served whole, in a clear broth soup. We ate it with steamed stuffed bread. It's considered very healthy food and not typical of Shandong because it isn't salty and doesn't use soy sauce."

In my kitchen: "When I cook, which isn't often, I love baby black silkworms, about the size of the top of your little finger, fried with leeks and eggs. Mmm…Delicious!"

Words

Aroma, refreshing, river, clear, crisp, baked, salted, sea, sweet, sour

Dishes

Stir-fried Clams and Braised Abalone, Bird's Nest Soup, Yellow River Carp in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Braised Shark's Fin with Shredded Chicken and Sea Cucumber with Meatballs