My Chinese appetite: Jiangxi Cuisine

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Jiangxi food in east China has the tendency to maintain the natural flavor of the ingredients used, but it also includes spices due to the influence of its neighboring province, Hunan.

Stir-fry rice noodles

Located in eastern China, Jiangxi Province is not short of grain production and aquaculture. Long-grain non-glutinous rice is generally used for rice noodles, which are popular among multiple provinces, such as Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi.

Jiangxi locals are loyal to and proud of their signature food. In different regions within the province, flavors and cooking methods vary. But for all the Jiangxi rice noodles, the one tag all people would recognize is "homely," because they're not fancy in ingredients or cooking methods.

Stir-fry rice noodles. /VCG Photo

In Jiangxi, rice noodles come in different flavors, and can be seen in either one of the three meals throughout a day.

Rice noodles from the market are already cooked, therefore leaving them in boiling water for a short time would do just fine. Stir-fry them immediately after taking them out, and add seasoning or ingredients to taste.

Bamboo shoot

Bamboo shoots are commonly used in Jiangxi dishes, as the province is among the few known for growing bamboo.

Technically, the ingredient used is not a fresh bamboo shoot, but the boiled, dried, and compressed version of it, "Sun Gan," with "sun" meaning the vegetable itself, and "gan," dry.

Bamboo shoot and fried tofu. /VCG Photo

"Sungan" can be found in many local dishes, "stew sungan and pork," "sungan and egg stuffed pie," "sungan chicken soup," to name just a few.

Stir-fry river snails

Stir-fry river snails with mint is a popular snack in the province.

Stir-fry river snails. /VCG Photo

To clean the snails thoroughly, you should immerse them in water for at least half a day. Then wash them.

Stir-fry spring onions and ginger slices when the oil is heated to about 50 degrees Celsius. Then stir-fry the snails for about two minutes. Add cooking wine, sugar, salt, and water, and simmer for three minutes. Leave out the water, onion, and ginger. Add chili, mint, and fresh spring onions, and you have a snack.