1.Salted Duck
Salted duck is a famous specialty of Nanjing. It is known as osmanthus duck and is a representative of Jinling cuisine with a history of more than 2,500 years. This kind of duck meat is white and tender, fat but not greasy, and full of freshness. It can be traced back to the Six Dynasties period, when it was already a well-known snack in Nanjing. Osmanthus duck is famous for its three unique features: “white skin, tender meat, fat but not greasy”. In Jiangsu, salted duck is not only a favorite delicacy of locals, but also a local specialty that tourists must try. The price is affordable, about a few dozen yuan, and it is unforgettable.
2.Yangzhou Fried Rice
Yangzhou fried rice, also known as Yangzhou egg fried rice, is a classic Han Chinese snack in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, and originated from the Huaiyang cuisine. This dish was first circulated among the people of Yangzhou, and its history can be traced back to the broken gold rice that Yang Su, Duke of Yue in the Sui Dynasty, loved. There are many types of Yangzhou fried rice, including “egg fried rice”, “gold wrapped silver egg fried rice” and “shrimp fried rice”. During the production process, the ingredients are strictly selected and the production is meticulous, with attention paid to color matching and taste. The fried Yangzhou fried rice has distinct rice grains, harmonious colors, and a fresh, smooth, fragrant and delicious taste.
3.Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup
Duck blood vermicelli soup is a famous snack in Nanjing, Jiangsu, and is also an important representative of Jinling snacks. This dish is made from a soup base made from a whole duck, paired with smooth duck blood, flexible duck gizzards, smooth duck intestines, soft duck liver, and chewy vermicelli. It has a light and refreshing taste, fresh and salty, and is one of the favorite snacks of Nanjing locals. Duck meat has a high protein content and a low fat content, making it especially suitable for the elderly. In Nanjing, there are many famous duck blood vermicelli soup restaurants, the most famous of which is the Jinling Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup Restaurant located next to the Presidential Palace.
4.Zhenjiang Pot Cover Noodles
Zhenjiang Pot Cover Noodles, also known as “Zhenjiang Knife Noodles”, is known as “the best noodles in Jiangnan”. This delicacy originated in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, and is a traditional snack with local characteristics. Its uniqueness lies in the way the noodles are made: the noodles are cooked in a large pot and covered with a small pot cover, which gives the noodles a special chewiness. The noodles used are “jump noodles”, which have pores, are easy to absorb into the marinade, and have a chewy and chewy taste. In addition, there are many kinds of toppings for pot cover noodles, such as beef, spare ribs, lion head, etc., paired with mung bean sprouts, leeks, dried tofu and other ingredients, making the whole dish clear in soup, soft in noodles, and fresh and tender in green head, which is deeply loved by young and old.
5.Wuxi Xiaolongbao
Wuxi Xiaolongbao is a traditional delicacy in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, with a history of 100 years. It is a special snack that is very popular among locals and tourists. The skin of this kind of Xiaolongbao is thin and the filling is made of crab jelly and crab paste. It is delicious and not greasy. You should drink the sauce before eating the Xiaolongbao that has just come out of the steamer, otherwise the sauce will burn your mouth. This unique production process and taste make Wuxi Xiaolongbao enjoy a high reputation in Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou.
6.Squirrel Mandarin Fish
Squirrel fish is a famous traditional dish in Suzhou, which has won wide acclaim for its exquisite knife skills and unique sauce. The preparation process of this dish is very challenging for the chef’s skills, including flower knife, marinating, powdering, oiling and pouring sauce, etc., all of which are indispensable. Squirrel fish is not only attractive in color and squirrel-like in shape, but also has a moderate sweet and sour taste, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, which makes people have endless aftertaste. In addition, it also has the beautiful meaning of “abundance every year”, so it often appears on the New Year’s Eve dinner table. When the hot marinade is poured on it, it will make a squeaking sound, which adds to the fun of eating.
7.Kunshan Aozao Noodles
Kunshan Aozao Noodles is a traditional snack in Kunshan, Jiangsu, and is known as one of the top ten noodles in China. Its uniqueness lies in the delicious noodle soup made from the whole body of herring, including scales, gills, meat and mucus. Although “Aozao” means unclean in Suzhou dialect, diners in Kunshan have made this bowl of noodles to perfection. In addition, the production process of Aozao Noodles pays attention to “five heats in one, small ingredients in soup”, and has the characteristics of “three hots”: hot noodles, hot soup and hot bowl, which ensures the taste and hygiene of the noodles.
8.Huangqiao sesame cake
Huangqiao sesame cake is a traditional specialty snack of Huangqiao Town, Taixing City, Jiangsu Province. It belongs to Jiangsu cuisine and is popular in the Jianghuai region. This sesame cake has a history of more than 150 years and became famous throughout the country because of the “Huangqiao Battle” in October 1940. During the battle, the people of Huangqiao Town braved the enemy’s artillery fire to deliver sesame cakes to the front line, showing the deep feelings of the army’s love for the people and the people’s support for the army. Huangqiao sesame cake has a unique production process. The dough is made of water-oil skin and oil-paste. The fillings include scallion oil, meat floss, chicken cubes, sausage, sugar, ham, osmanthus, fine sand, etc. The finished product is golden in color, crispy and delicious.
9.Sauce Spare Ribs
Braised spare ribs in soy sauce is a traditional delicacy in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, also known as “Wuxi meat bones”. This dish is red in color, oily but not greasy, with crispy bones and tender meat, rich aroma, and a sweet and salty taste. It represents the food culture characteristics of Wuxi. Braised spare ribs in soy sauce are mainly made of pork ribs or grass ribs, added with various spices such as star anise and cinnamon, and made using a unique cooking method. It belongs to the Su cuisine and embodies the basic flavor of Wuxi cuisine.
10.Crab Roe Soup Dumpling
Crab roe soup dumplings are a traditional food in Jiangsu with a history of nearly 200 years. They were widely praised in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Their characteristics are that the skin is as thin as paper, the soup is clear and not greasy, and the filling is made of hairy crabs, fresh pork skin and old mother chicken. The way to eat them is also quite particular, and you need to “lift them gently, move them slowly, open the window first, drink the soup later, and finally sweep them up”. Among them, the dragon robe crab roe soup dumplings are particularly famous. They have a history of 140 years and were once tributes to the court. Their production process has been passed down for many generations and continuously improved, making them more delicious and deeply loved by diners.