Fuzhou Cuisine: A blend of sea and woodland flavors

As one of the four subsets of Fujian cuisine and the representative of Min cuisine, which is among the eight great traditions of Chinese cuisine, Fuzhou dishes are noted for exquisite cooking, bright colors and an emphasis on the combination of delicate soup and refined ingredients.

Fuzhou snacks include fish balls, rouyan (a kind of meaty wonton), Fotiaoqiang and oyster cakes. Many seafood and woodland recipes are also part of Fuzhou cuisine, giving people a light, tender but rich taste.

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, or Fotiaoqiang, is a century-old Chinese delicacy. As a typical dish of Fujian cuisine, it is famous for its rich taste and multitude of ingredients, including seafood, chicken, ginseng and mushrooms. It takes days to make the dish because many of the premium ingredients require a meticulous reconstitution process. It is said that the stew dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and its recipe was created by a local official. In 2008, the local recipe of Fotiaoqiang was listed as a state-level intangible cultural heritage in China.

Rouyan, also known as Yanpi dumplings, is another Fujian delicacy. Lean pork is stuffed in soft and elastic Yanpi wrappers that are as thin as paper and eaten in soup on some special occasions. In the provincial capital of Fuzhou, fish ball soup is a popular umami soup made of fish balls with minced pork or shrimp filling. The wrapper, made of chopped fish flesh and starch, tends to be smooth, tender and evenly textured, while the filling is on the rich side. When savored with the soup, which is usually light and seasoned with salt and chopped scallions, the flavor of the fish balls is very much highlighted. Another dish is banmian, or dried noodles, a vegetarian noodle dish made by boiling egg noodles and then mixed with peanut butter, soy sauce, lard, scallions and other ingredients. It is one of the best-loved breakfasts of Fuzhou residents.

(All photos via CFP)