1.West Lake Fish With Vinegar Sauce
If we talk about the top Zhejiang cuisine, it must be West Lake Vinegar Fish. Every time it is served, the fish body is dazzlingly bright, the sauce is slightly red, and the sweet and sour aroma goes straight into your nose. When you bite it, the fish meat is as tender as tofu, sour and sweet, and sweet and fresh, it is wonderful!
I heard from the older generation that this dish has a history – in the Song Dynasty, a chef took West Lake grass carp and added some vinegar and sugar to cook it in order to curry favor with the officials. Unexpectedly, it became a classic. When I eat it, I like to add some shredded ginger to relieve greasiness and enhance the flavor. Fish meat is high in protein, which is good for the body. The key is that it tastes good!
2.Dongpo Pork
As soon as Dongpo pork was served, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The red meat was fat but not greasy, lean but not dry, like a piece of art that would seduce people. Shaoxing rice wine is used to stew it, and the aroma of the wine penetrates into the meat. The meat falls apart with a light pinch of chopsticks, leaving a mouthful of aftertaste.
It is said that this was figured out by Su Dongpo when he was an official in Hangzhou. At that time, he led everyone to dredge the West Lake. After the completion of the work, he rewarded the villagers with meat, and this famous dish was born. I like to eat it with rice the most. The oily aroma wraps the rice grains, and the taste of life comes to my face, and the sense of happiness is overflowing.
3.Longjing Shrimp
Longjing shrimps, the name alone sounds elegant. The peeled shrimps are as white as jade, and when frying, add some Longjing tea leaves, which are green and white, and look comfortable. When eating, the shrimps are smooth and tender, and the fragrance of tea lingers on the tip of the tongue, so fresh that you can’t stop eating.
I heard that this dish was made when Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty went to the south of the Yangtze River. The chef threw tea leaves into the pot in a panic and fried them instead of chopped green onions. It became popular by accident. Hangzhou people love Longjing tea, and even the dishes are permeated with this fragrance, full of cultural flavor.
4.Ningbo Tangtuan
Ningbo Tangtuan is the flavor of the New Year when I was a child. The round glutinous rice balls are filled with black sesame fillings, which are sweet and rich, and the sticky taste makes people very satisfied. During the New Year, the elderly in the family gathered around to make tangtuan, chatting and eating, which was very lively.
Don’t underestimate its simplicity. The glutinous rice must be moderately soft and hard, and the sesame filling must be fried until fragrant. A bowl of it in winter warms the stomach and heart, and sesame can also nourish the body. It is really a treasure food.
5.Shaoxing Drunken Chicken
Shaoxing drunken chicken, the name sounds exciting. The chicken is steamed tender and soaked in rice wine. When it is served, the wine aroma is fragrant. Put a piece in your mouth, it is soft, tender and juicy, and has a slightly tipsy taste. After eating it, the whole person relaxes.
This is the signature of Shaoxing. Rice wine is the soul. It is refreshing to eat cold in summer and more fragrant when heated in winter. Sometimes adding some plums makes the taste more special. Chicken is high in protein and rice wine can promote blood circulation. It is healthy and delicious.
6.Taishun Guanyin Tofu
Guanyin tofu, a touch of green in Taishun in summer! This is not real tofu, but a green jelly made from the leaves of the stinking vitex. It is crystal clear and looks like a piece of jade in a bowl. Take a spoonful and it will be cool. The fragrance of plants and trees spreads in your mouth. It is slightly sweet or salty and melts in your mouth without a trace. The heat is gone in an instant. Legend has it that there was a famine in Taishun in ancient times. Guanyin Bodhisattva enlightened the villagers to use this leaf to make food, which saved the people.
7.Jiaxing Zongzi
Jiaxing Zongzi is a standard for Zhejiang people to celebrate festivals. Glutinous rice is wrapped with salted egg yolk and pork, wrapped in zongzi leaves and steamed until soft and fragrant. Unwrap the leaves, the aroma goes straight into your nose, the rice is sticky, the meat is fat and lean, and the salty and fragrant taste is satisfying.
It is so beautiful to peel zongzi with family around the table and chat about family matters on Dragon Boat Festival. I heard that this zongzi also symbolizes reunion, and it is full of cultural flavor.
8.Jinhua Ham
In my eyes, Jinhua ham is the “noble meat”. When you cut it open, you will see that the meat is ruddy and shiny, with a salty and fragrant aroma. Throw a piece into the stew and the soup will be so delicious that it will hook your tongue. The ham has to be pickled for several months and then air-dried to make it more flavorful. Jinhua people use it to stew chicken soup, porridge, and everything else is delicious. I heard that it was a tribute in the past, it is high in protein and is also very good for nourishing the body.
9.Wenzhou Fish Balls
Wenzhou fish balls are my favorite. The white and plump little balls are floating in the soup. They are chewy and the fishy aroma spreads in the mouth, refreshing and delicious. To make these balls, you need fresh fish meat, which is chopped into a paste and beaten. When cooking, sprinkle some chopped green onions. The soup is so clear that you want to drink it. Wenzhou is close to the sea and there are many fish. The fish balls are fresh and suitable for all ages.
10.Huzhou Wonton
Huzhou wontons are a memory from my childhood. The skin is thin and the filling is large. The pork and shrimp are mixed evenly. After cooking, they float in the clear soup, sprinkle with chopped green onions, and go down the hot stomach. It’s so comfortable. You can get a bowl of wontons at any street stall in Huzhou. The soup is clear and the filling is fresh. There is nothing left at the bottom of the bowl after finishing it. It’s really enjoyable.
These ten Zhejiang delicacies have a strong local flavor in every bite. They are fresh, fragrant and tender, and they give you a taste of the fireworks in life.
Come to Zhejiang and try these authentic dishes, you will definitely linger!