Formed by the union of Hangzhou cuisine, Ningbo cuisine and Shaoxing cuisine, Zhejiang cuisine is one of the eight famous cuisines of China. The culture of its cuisine basically covers cooking culture, tea culture and snack culture. So it is indeed necessary to enjoy some famous local dishes, such as Dongpo Braised Pork, West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce, Crisp Cake, Longjing tea, etc. Let TOC be your guide of this amazing food journey!
Yummy Local Snacks
Hangzhou-styled snack plays an important role in local cuisine and also one of the three great ingredients of "the Heaven on Earth". The other two are local pretty girls and beautiful natural scenery. with a profound history, it has developed its unique snack tradition.
Wushan Hill Crisp Cake
It chooses high-quality flour as raw material, adding cooking oil to put them into the pat. And then mix it with sugar. The cake is golden and crisp, oil but not greasy. This snack is very popular in Wushan. It is said that Emperor Qianlong tasted it when he visited Wushan and gave out great praise. For this reason, the local people regard it as the best snack.
You Zha Gui
The traditional snack " You Zha Gui" has a legend that when the famous general Yuefei of Song Dynasty was persecuted and executed by wicked Qin'gui and his wife, an owner of a small shop who sold fried noodles and cakes saw Qin passed by the shop in his royal sedan everyday. He hated him so much. One day, he used wheat flour to knead into a shape of human figure which looked like Qin'gui, and put it into a cauldron of heat cook
ing oil. He shouted aloud: "You Zha Qin'gui (Oil Fried Qin Gui)!" So this is how the famed snack got its name.
Sister-in-Law Song's Thick Fish Soup
It was a renowned dish of Southern Song Dynasty, featured with a wide variety of ingredients, yellow color, as well as tender and delicious taste. As it tastes like crabmeat thick soup, Sister-in-law Song's Thick Fish Soup is also known as "Treasure Crab Thick Soup."
FYI: Hangzhou famous snack street is on Hefang Street near Wushan Square. It is clean and tidy associated with lots of yummy snacks.
Palatable Main Dishes
Besides the terrific local snacks, Hangzhou is also famous for its main courses such as Dongpo Pork, West Lake Fish, Fired Shelled Shrimps with Longjing Tea, Braised Bamboo Shoots in Wine Sauce, Fish Head and Beancurd Soup etc. with Dongpo Pork being the super one.
West Lake Fish
This dish chooses Kun fish in the West Lake as its raw material. When cooking it, fire and time is very strict. Within 3 to 4 minutes, the fish should be cooked well, and then, water some sweet and sour on the fish. It is very tasteful.
Dongpo Pork
It is very delicious. The soup is dense and the taste is great. The pork is fat but not greasy. It could arouse your appetite as soon as you see it. It is said that Dongpo pork is made by a famous poet Su Dongpo in northern Song Dynasty. In the year 1089, he was in Hangzhou to be in charge of dam-construction work. When the work was done successfully, he used pork and wine to cook the braised pork. Later, people call the dish Dongpo Pork.
Green Onion Wrap Fried Bread Stick (Cong Bao Hui in Chinese)
It is a famous snack in Hangzhou. A lot of vendors sell in streets and lanes. First, using spring pancake to wrap a fried bread stick and several green onions, and then put it on a flat pan to bake. At last, eat it with chili sauce or sweet sauce. It is said in Southern Song Dynasty, people hated the bad minister Qinhui, who killed Yuefei. Then, they made the paste shaped like Qinhui and fried it in the pan. It is what the fried bread stick formed. And this stack is called Cong Bao Hui.
Editor's words:
I have stayed in Hangzhou for four years and for me I am full of sentiment about the city as well as the delicious food there. As gorgeous as fantastic views and pretty girls, the local cuisine is worthy of trying. Enjoy yourself!
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