Endowed with criss-crossing waterways on the Pearl River Delta and a meandering coastline along the South China Sea, Guangdong Province is a paradise for seafood lovers. Archaeologists suggest that the history of Cantonese seafood diet can be traced back to as early as 10,000 years ago. Today, fresh seafood still plays a prominent role in Cantonese culinary culture.

Seafood in Cantonese cuisine is famous for its optimal preservation of authentic flavor and scintillating freshness. Steaming fish seasoned with light soy sauce, ginger and spring onions is one of the favorite dishes for Cantonese foodies. Only the freshest fish can be selected to cook in this fashion; otherwise, strong spices and juices are required to cover the repugnant odor. The time used to steam the fish also needs to be strictly controlled to ensure the perfect tenderness of the texture.

Besides steaming fish, Cantonese housewives excel at homemade fish soup. Every lady has her own recipe according to the weather, seasonal fish and vegetables, as well as the health condition of each family member.

Deep-fried garlic with rice noodles is a widely accepted dressing for steamed shellfish such as scallops, oysters or prawns. Springy scallops or prawns are boiled and garnished with garlic and rice noodles. Cantonese people prefer the light and delicate dressing that brings out the natural sweetness of seafood.

Cantonese foodies’ craving for seafood used to be largely constrained by poor storage conditions. In the 1980s, some seafood restaurants introduced fish tanks from which waiters would pull the still live animal, weigh it and send it to the chef to be cooked. Such “cook-to-order” eateries soon became a popular and iconic practice in Cantonese seafood restaurants.