1 Stuffed Banana Fritters

[Ingredients]
Bananas………500 grams
Cornstarch………15 grams
Red bean paste………75 grams
Rendered lard………1000 grams
Egg whites………4
(approximately 100 grams)
Granulated sugar………125 grams

[Cooking Method]

Peel the bananas, slice lengthwise, and gently flatten into strips. Sandwich red bean paste between two banana slices, then fry over medium heat until pale white. Remove and drain excess oil, place on a plate, and sprinkle with granulated sugar before serving.
Heat rendered lard in a frying pan until it reaches 50% heat. Coat each stuffed banana piece with egg white batter, then fry over medium heat until pale white. Remove, drain excess oil, place on a plate, and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

[Key Techniques]
Ensure the bowl for beating egg whites is clean, free from oil, salt, alkali, or water. Beat the egg whites in one direction until they resemble whipped cream, with peaks that stand firm when a chopstick is inserted.

[Flavor Characteristics]

Bananas are herbaceous plants with upright stems reaching up to 9 meters. They produce a single bunch of fruit annually, with leaves spreading like an umbrella. Bananas were introduced to West Africa in the 7th century by Arab traders, referred to locally as the “sacred fruit.” Legend has it that human ancestors were heavenly beings who succumbed to the allure of bananas’ beauty, fragrance, and taste, leading them to be born on Earth. Bananas were later brought to Latin America by Spanish and Portuguese explorers, where the climate and soil were more conducive to their growth, leading to increased production and global popularity.
Stuffed banana fritters are soft, creamy white, and deliciously sweet, beloved by both young and old alike at festive banquets.

2 Water Shield and Fish Ball Soup

[Ingredients]
Mung bean flour………150 grams
Vegetarian clear broth………1000 grams
Water shield (watercress)………150 grams
Shaoxing wine………10 grams
Egg white………1
Salt………15 grams
Milk powder………10 grams
MSG (optional)………2 grams
Refined peanut oil………5 grams

[Cooking Method]

Mix 100 grams of water with mung bean flour until smooth. Mix 75 grams of water with milk powder. Bring 300 grams of water to a boil, add 3 grams of salt and 1 gram of MSG (optional), then stir in the milk powder mixture. Gradually pour in the mixed mung bean flour while stirring, lowering the temperature of the paste to below 50°C. Pour in beaten egg white while stirring continuously to form a thick, gel-like paste.
Use your hands to shape the thick paste into balls approximately 2 cm in diameter, and let them float in a basin of cold water. Wash the water shield thoroughly with water and set aside.
Place a pot over heat, pour in the vegetarian clear broth, add 12 grams of salt, Shaoxing wine, 1 gram of MSG (optional), water shield, and fish balls. Bring to a gentle boil over low heat, skim off any foam, drizzle in the refined peanut oil, and serve in large soup bowls.

[Key Techniques]
Vegetarian clear broth is typically made by simmering soybean sprouts in water. For non-vegetarian variations, it can be prepared with pork bones for added richness.

[Flavor Characteristics]

Water shield, also known as watercress, is a perennial aquatic plant with oval leaves that float on the water’s surface. In spring and summer, the tender underside of the leaves secretes a gelatinous substance, making it delicately fragrant and smooth to the palate. It is a prized vegetable known for its qualities in the lakes of southern China, especially around the West Lake region near Wuxi. Water shield is rich in nutrients such as Vitamin B2, gelatin, and sugars, offering benefits such as diuretic, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and cooling effects.
Fish balls are white and smooth like jade, round and floating on the soup surface. Paired with tender green water shield, the soup is elegant and refreshing, pleasing to the senses.

3 Four Fresh Delicacy Cabbage Stump

[Ingredients]
Napa cabbage (1 head)…750 grams
Shaoxing wine………10 grams
Cooked chicken meat………100 grams
Salt………10 grams
Cooked ham………75 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)………1 gram
Roast duck meat………100 grams
Chicken clear broth………750 grams
Cooked bamboo shoots………75 grams
Rendered chicken fat………5 grams
Dried shrimp………25 grams
Rendered lard………50 grams

[Cooking Method]

Select the heart of the Napa cabbage, approximately 7 cm in diameter. Cut into segments about 8 cm long and arrange them vertically in a round basin. Steam over high heat until cooked. Remove and arrange in large soup bowls.
Slice the chicken meat, ham, roast duck, and bamboo shoots into thin slices about 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. Arrange them evenly in four equal fan shapes on top of the cabbage stump. Place dried shrimp in the center. Pour in chicken clear broth, Shaoxing wine, rendered lard, salt, and MSG. Steam over high heat until fully cooked. Remove from steamer and drizzle with rendered chicken fat.

[Key Techniques]
When steaming the cabbage stump, use high heat and steam quickly until just cooked to maintain its shape. Avoid overcooking to prevent it from becoming too soft.

[Flavor Characteristics]
Cabbage stump is a famous dish from Shanghai, popular in the 1930s, combining both meat and vegetables in a soup. “Stump” refers to the cabbage cut into sections resembling logs, topped with various ingredients in different styles. Four Fresh Delicacy Cabbage Stump features ham, roast duck, chicken, and fresh bamboo shoots, arranged neatly with harmonious colors, tender vegetables, savory meats, and a clear and rich broth.

4 Tofu Dumplings

[Ingredients]
Lean pork………100 grams
Granulated sugar………2 grams
Tofu………400 grams
Chicken clear broth………100 grams
Minced scallions and ginger………10 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)………1 gram
Shaoxing wine………5 grams
Water starch………15 grams
Salt………4.5 grams
Rendered peanut oil………10 grams

[Cooking Method]

Finely chop the pork and mix with Shaoxing wine, granulated sugar, 2.5 grams of salt, minced scallions and ginger, and 25 grams of chicken clear broth to make the filling.
Drain excess water from the tofu and trim off the edges. Cut into approximately 7 cm square pieces, then slice each piece into 0.6 cm thick slices, yielding 12 slices in total. Place one slice on a flattened damp cloth, gently place a portion of filling in the center of the tofu slice. Lift one corner of the cloth and fold diagonally over the tofu, folding it again to overlap the corners and press lightly to seal the edges. Remove the cloth and lightly trim with a knife to shape the tofu dumpling. Arrange each dumpling neatly on a flat plate. Once all dumplings are prepared, steam over medium heat until cooked.
Heat a frying pan over high heat, add oil, and pour in 75 grams of chicken clear broth. Add the steamed dumplings and bring to a boil. Add 2 grams of salt, MSG, and stir gently. Drizzle in water starch, then finish with rendered peanut oil before serving.

[Key Techniques]
When steaming tofu dumplings, if the steam is too vigorous, it may cause a honeycomb texture, affecting appearance and texture. It’s advisable to uncover and release steam once midway through steaming, for about 10 minutes.

[Flavor Characteristics]
Tofu dumplings use tofu as the wrapper filled with meat filling, steamed first and then simmered in chicken broth. Tofu has a water content of over 90%, with a delicate texture that crumbles easily and lacks elasticity, making it challenging to shape into intact and smooth dumplings. This dish features a complete shape, silky tofu, tender meat filling, and a flavorful broth, enticing and satisfying to eat.

5 Dragon Garden Tofu

[Ingredients]
Soft tofu………400 grams
Chicken clear broth………300 grams
Shrimp in batter………30 grams
Salt………5 grams
Dried scallops………25 grams
Cornstarch (mixed with water)………25 grams
Sliced cooked ham………10 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)………2 grams
Soaked dried mushrooms………25 grams
Chicken oil………25 grams
Green peas………25 grams
Shaoxing wine………15 grams

[Cooking Method]

Peel the soft tofu, cut into slices approximately 3 cm square and 0.5 cm thick. Blanch briefly in boiling water, then drain.
Heat a frying pan over high heat, add chicken clear broth, shrimp in batter, dried scallops, soaked dried mushrooms, and green peas. Bring to a boil, then add the tofu slices and Shaoxing wine. Season with salt and MSG. Simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens. Use the cornstarch mixed with water to thicken the sauce, drizzle with a little chicken oil before removing from heat. Arrange on a serving plate, garnish with shrimp in batter, dried scallops, and slices of cooked ham.

[Key Techniques]
Use cornstarch mixed with water to create a glossy thickening agent. Add the cornstarch mixture gently to avoid stirring too vigorously, allowing it to cook thoroughly and blend seamlessly with a little water for a clear and shiny sauce.

[Flavor Characteristics]
Dragon Garden Tofu is a specialty dish from Meilong Town Restaurant, originally named “Longan Shrimp Tofu.” One day in 1945, several prominent figures from the literary world gathered at the Longfeng Hall of the restaurant. When this dish was served, its exquisite ingredients, vibrant color, and delightful aroma captured everyone’s attention. They believed that only at the Longfeng Hall in Meilong Town could one savor this dish, thus renaming it Dragon Garden Tofu.

6 Yipin Tofu

[Ingredients]
Soft tofu………500 grams
Dried black moss………25 grams
Chicken breast………50 grams
Rendered lard………25 grams
Cooked ham………15 grams
Salt………5 grams
Shrimp………25 grams
Ground black pepper………2 grams
Leafy greens………25 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)………2 grams
Eggs………2
Chicken broth………400 grams

[Cooking Method]

Trim the edges of the tofu, filter through a sieve to remove residue, and mash into tofu paste. Remove skin and sinew from chicken breast, clean and devein shrimp, then chop together into a fine mixture with a knife, adding a small amount of water to dilute.
Beat the eggs and add the egg whites to the tofu paste, mixing well with MSG, salt, and ground black pepper. Grease a flat plate with some rendered lard, pour the mixed tofu paste onto the plate and spread it evenly. Decorate the surface with cooked ham, egg yolks, leafy greens, and dried black moss to form patterns such as fish, insects, flowers, or birds. Steam for about 10 minutes.
Heat a frying pan, add chicken broth (about 400 grams), season with salt and MSG, bring to a boil, then transfer the steamed tofu onto a large soup bowl, floating on the broth.

[Key Techniques]

Use fresh and lively chicken and shrimp.
Steam the tofu paste over medium heat for a suitable time; do not overcook as it may develop holes or bubbles, affecting its texture and appearance.

[Flavor Characteristics]
Tofu is a traditional Chinese specialty with various types, affordable prices, and rich nutrition suitable for all ages. Yuan Mei, a Qing Dynasty poet, praised tofu in his book “Suiyuan Shidan,” stating, “Tofu, when well flavored, surpasses even bird’s nest.” This dish features a clean white color, pleasing appearance, smooth tofu texture, and a delicious clear broth. It’s said to be as good as bird’s nest—if in doubt, visit a restaurant like Shanghai’s Green Willow Village to try it out.

7 Lo Han Chai (Buddhist Vegetarian Feast)

[Ingredients]
Black moss………40 grams
Wood ear mushrooms………25 grams
Cooked chestnuts………50 grams
Shaoxing wine………1.5 grams
Mock chicken………50 grams
Cornstarch (mixed with water)………10 grams
Fresh mushrooms………50 grams
Refined peanut oil………75 grams
Cooked bamboo shoots………50 grams
Soy sauce………35 grams
Soaked dried shiitake mushrooms………50 grams
Fresh broth………150 grams
Daylily flowers………25 grams
Minced ginger………1.5 grams
Ginkgo nuts………25 grams
Sugar………2 grams
Cauliflower………25 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)………2 grams
Carrot………25 grams
Sesame oil………25 grams

[Cooking Method]

Rinse the black moss in cold water and squeeze out excess water. Cut the shiitake mushrooms, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and carrots into diamond-shaped pieces. Cut the cauliflower into chestnut-sized pieces. Crush the ginkgo nuts. Cut the daylily flowers into 3.3 cm segments. Slice the mock chicken into thin slices. Blanch the cauliflower, ginkgo nuts, and carrots in boiling water, then drain well.
Heat a wok over high heat, add 75 grams of refined peanut oil, and heat until hot. Stir-fry all ingredients except the black moss. Add soy sauce, minced ginger, sugar, MSG, Shaoxing wine, fresh broth, and other seasonings. Stir-fry until well mixed. Add the black moss last, stir until the sauce thickens, then thicken with cornstarch mixed with water. Drizzle with sesame oil, then serve.

[Key Techniques]
Boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until thoroughly cooked and flavorful, ensuring the dish reaches its optimal taste.

[Flavor Characteristics]
Lo Han Chai, also known as Buddhist Vegetarian Feast, originated in the Tang and Song dynasties during the peak of Buddhism in China. Many temples operated their own kitchens, preparing vegetarian dishes known as “zhai” or “zhai cai.” Lo Han Chai, named after enlightened disciples in Buddhism, typically consists of around 10 selected ingredients. This dish has been enjoyed by emperors, officials, and scholars during Buddhist feasts, gaining nationwide fame and enduring popularity throughout history. In the Qing dynasty, it was popular not only among the general public but also prepared in the imperial kitchens for the emperors to savor. Qing dynasty scholar Xue Baochen recorded in his book “A Brief Discussion on Vegetarian Food”: “Lo Han Chai, consisting of various vegetables and bean products, all stir-fried with sesame oil, then braised together in a pot of soup, embodies a rustic flavor. Temples of the Taoist priest Chen use this method often. The name has ancient roots.”

8 Radish Pastry

[Ingredients]
Flour………500 grams
Lard………100 grams
White radish………1250 grams
Cooked ham, diced………100 grams
Granulated sugar………50 grams
Rendered lard………1150 grams
Fine salt………60 grams
(about 250 grams used)
Green onions (white part)………50 grams
Egg………1
Sesame oil………25 grams
Sesame seeds………5 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)………5 grams

[Cooking Method]

Peel and finely dice the lard and green onions. Beat the egg. Peel the white radish and grate it into fine shreds. Mix with 50 grams of salt, let it sit for 30 minutes, then squeeze out excess water using cheesecloth. Mix in the sesame oil.
In a bowl, combine the radish shreds with diced lard, cooked ham, green onions, MSG, granulated sugar, and 7 grams of fine salt to make the filling. Divide into 20 portions and roll into small balls.
Take 200 grams of flour and 100 grams of lard, mix and knead to form a dry oil pastry. Separately, mix 300 grams of flour with 50 grams of lard and 150 grams of warm water to form a water oil dough.
Flatten the water oil dough and place the dry oil pastry in the center. Seal tightly and roll into a round ball. Roll it out into a rectangular shape, fold into three layers, and roll into a strip about 4 centimeters long. Cut into 20 pieces.
Flatten each piece on a work surface, place some filling inside, seal tightly into a round cake shape, brush the surface with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds to form the pastry base.
Heat rendered lard in a frying pan over medium heat until it reaches about 50% hot. Fry the pastry bases over medium heat, turning constantly with bamboo chopsticks, for about 8-9 minutes until they float to the surface and turn a light golden color. Remove and serve on a plate.

[Key Techniques]

Carefully prepare the pastry to ensure distinct layers and avoid hard patches. The finished product should be crispy and delicious.
Fry the pastry bases over medium heat to avoid burning the outside while ensuring the inside is fully cooked.

[Flavor Characteristics]
Radish Pastry is a famous snack from Shanghai, characterized by its light yellow color, crispy texture, and delicious fragrance. It is widely enjoyed and highly popular at banquets.

9 Mirror Box Tofu

[Ingredients]
Small box tofu………1 piece (about 500 grams)
Ground pork………250 grams
Dried shiitake mushrooms………20 grams (rehydrated)
Green peas…………5 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)………1.5 grams
Sesame oil……………10 grams
Large shrimp………12 pieces
Shaoxing wine………50 grams
Salt………4 grams
Soy sauce……………20 grams
Granulated sugar………25 grams
Tomato sauce…………25 grams
Pork broth………150 grams
Chopped green onion……………15 grams
Rendered lard……………15 grams
Cornstarch…………25 grams
Refined peanut oil………1000 grams

[Cooking Method]

Place the ground pork in a bowl, add 25 grams of Shaoxing wine, and 2.5 grams of salt. Mix well to make the pork filling.
Cut the tofu into quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces, each approximately 5 cm long, 3.3 cm wide, and 3.3 cm thick, totaling 12 rectangular pieces. Arrange them in a colander and drain. Heat the refined peanut oil in a wok over high heat until it reaches 80% hot. Carefully slide the tofu pieces into the oil and fry until the surface turns golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil. Use the handle of a spoon to hollow out a portion of each tofu piece, then fill with the pork filling and press a shrimp on top, creating the raw Mirror Box Tofu.
Heat 25 grams of refined peanut oil in the wok over high heat. Add chopped green onions and stir-fry until fragrant. Add rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and green peas. Move the wok away from direct heat and arrange the raw Mirror Box Tofu neatly with the shrimp facing downwards into the wok. Return the wok to high heat, add 25 grams of Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, granulated sugar, tomato sauce, pork broth, 1.5 grams of salt, MSG, and gently shake the wok to blend the seasonings. Once the sauce comes to a boil, cover the wok and simmer over low heat for about 6 minutes until the pork filling is cooked through.
Uncover the wok, return it to high heat, gently shake to thicken the sauce. Use cornstarch slurry to adjust the consistency, drizzle rendered lard along the edge of the wok, gently flip the tofu pieces so the shrimp faces upwards. Finally, drizzle with sesame oil and transfer to a serving plate.

[Key Techniques]

Small box tofu: Made by grinding soybeans into slurry, filtering out residue with cloth, boiling in a pot, adding gypsum to precipitate, wrapping in cheesecloth to form approximately 1.6 cm long, 1.3 cm wide, and 8.3 cm thick blocks, and draining water to obtain small box tofu, a specialty of Wuxi. Each block of tofu weighs approximately 500 grams.
When hollowing out the tofu with the spoon handle, be careful not to pierce the bottom or break the sides.
During thickening and flipping of the tofu, maintain the integrity and neat arrangement of the pieces.

[Flavor Characteristics]

This dish features tofu filled with a savory pork filling, presenting a beautiful appearance and delicate tenderness. It is nicknamed “Mirror Box Tofu” because the tofu blocks resemble the cosmetic boxes used by women, symbolizing gold and jade due to the combination of meat and shrimp.
Mirror Box Tofu has an orange-red color, is fresh and tender with a rich flavor, suitable for all ages, and is a famous dish enjoyed by both the refined and common people in Wuxi.

10 Lemon Tofu

[Main and Auxiliary Ingredients]
Tofu……………3 blocks
Soy sauce……………25 grams
Fresh winter bamboo shoots…………50 grams
MSG…………2.5 grams
Vegetarian ham…………50 grams
Peanut oil………750 grams
Green vegetable juice…………25 grams
Oil gluten…………50 grams
Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms………25 grams
Granulated sugar…………15 grams
Salt……………1 gram
Cornstarch…………50 grams
Ginkgo nut meat…………50 grams

[Preparation Method]

Remove tofu skins, crumble, and drain through a sieve. Mix with 0.5 grams of salt, 1.5 grams of MSG, cornstarch, and green vegetable juice to form tofu paste. Dice shiitake mushrooms, ginkgo nuts, winter bamboo shoots, vegetarian ham, and oil gluten into small cubes.
Heat a wok over high heat, add 50 grams of peanut oil, and heat until 70% hot. Add diced shiitake mushrooms, ginkgo nuts, winter bamboo shoots, vegetarian ham, and oil gluten. Add soy sauce, granulated sugar, 0.5 grams of salt, 1 gram of MSG, and 100 grams of water. Bring to a boil, simmer until the sauce thickens into a filling, and transfer to a bowl.
Grease the inside walls of 12 porcelain cups with peanut oil. Fill each cup with tofu paste, creating a hollow in the center. Fill with prepared filling, cover with more tofu paste, smooth the surface, and steam for about 10 minutes. Unmold the tofu rounds.
Heat a wok over high heat, add peanut oil, and heat until 60% hot. Fry the tofu rounds until golden brown, remove, and serve on a plate. Serve with Sichuan pepper salt on the side.

[Key Techniques]

Approximately 450 grams of tofu are used for this dish.
Various green vegetables can be used to make green vegetable juice. For example, spinach can be washed, ground, strained through cheesecloth to obtain spinach juice, and then boiled briefly in a pot.
It’s crucial to grease the inside walls of the porcelain cups with peanut oil or lard for easy removal after steaming.

[Flavor Characteristics]

Lemon refers to an evergreen shrub with fruits having pale purple skin and white flesh.
This dish resembles a lemon fruit, with crispy tofu skin, tender filling, and delicious flavor, making it a renowned Shanghai delicacy.