Taste Different Culinary Cultures

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1 Steamed Softshell Turtle

Ingredients:

  • 1 softshell turtle, about 600g
  • 5g ginger slices
  • 600 slices of cooked ham
  • 25g Shaoxing wine
  • 1 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked in water
  • 10g salt
  • 15g diced lard
  • 1g MSG (optional)
  • 10g scallion knot
  • 100g chicken broth

Instructions:

  1. Place the softshell turtle belly-up. Once the head protrudes, quickly pinch the neck with your fingers and pull out forcefully. Use a knife to cut through the neck bone at the back shell joint. Stand the turtle upright to drain the blood. Place it in a container and pour boiling water to submerge it, blanching for 5 minutes until a white layer forms on the shell. Transfer to cold water, gently scrub off the black membrane on the back shell with a bamboo brush. Use a small knife to scrape off the white membrane on the skirt edge and the black membrane on the belly and legs. Cut off the tail and claws, then lay the turtle flat on a cutting board, split open the belly shell, remove the internal organs, rinse with water, and cut into halves, then into 3 pieces each about 0.15cm thick.
  2. Place the turtle pieces in a pot, add enough water to cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Skim off any foam, remove the turtle pieces, wash away any black dirt inside the belly with clean water, and remove the fat from the legs. Drain well. Take a small bowl and invert it over a plate, place the turtle pieces in the bowl with the shell side down, add scallion knot, ginger slices, and Shaoxing wine (15g). Steam over high heat for about 1.5 hours until tender. Remove from steamer, discard scallion knot and ginger slices, invert onto a serving dish, arrange the ham slices evenly on top of the turtle shell, then garnish with diced lard and shiitake mushroom. Pour chicken broth over the top, sprinkle with MSG, salt, and remaining Shaoxing wine (10g). Steam for another 10 minutes, then serve immediately.

Key Techniques:

  1. When processing the softshell turtle, ensure to keep the skirt intact.
  2. Steam the turtle with scallion, ginger, and wine first until tender, then add broth for another 10 minutes to enhance flavor without fishy taste.

Flavor Profile:
Softshell turtle, also known as Trionychidae, was a delicacy in ancient China, mentioned as a royal dish as early as the Zhou Dynasty. It is rich in protein and vitamins, low in fat and calories, making it a popular health food. It’s known for boosting vitality and potentially having anti-cancer effects. Steaming preserves its nutrients and original flavor. This dish has a clear, rich broth, tender meat, and a deliciously chewy skirt, making it a delicacy in Shanghai cuisine.

2 Braised Eel with Pork

Ingredients:

  • 400g yellow eel
  • 5g salt
  • 250g pork leg meat
  • 25g sugar
  • 10g scallion knot
  • 1g MSG (optional)
  • 10g scallion, cut into sections
  • 750g pork broth
  • 5g ginger slices
  • 5g cornstarch mixed with water
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 10g sesame oil
  • 50g dark soy sauce
  • 75g rendered pork lard

Instructions:

  1. Clean and gut the yellow eel, cut open along the belly, remove the internal organs, and trim off the head and tail. Cut the eel into segments about 5cm long. Blanch the eel segments in boiling water with salt until slightly cooked, then remove and rinse off any mucus with clean water. Wash the pork leg meat and slice into pieces about 4cm thick.
  2. Heat a wok over high heat, add the rendered pork lard (50g), and stir-fry the pork slices until they shrink slightly. Add the eel segments and fry briefly. Add scallion knot, ginger slices, Shaoxing wine, and pork broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer until the eel and pork are about 60% cooked. Remove the scallion knot and ginger slices, add dark soy sauce, sugar, and continue simmering over low heat until the eel segments and pork slices are tender. Increase the heat to high, add MSG if using, and thicken the sauce with cornstarch mixture. Stir in the remaining pork lard (25g), sesame oil, and scatter the scallion sections on top. Serve immediately.

Cooking Tips:
Cook the eel segments and pork until fully cooked with Shaoxing wine and pork broth first, then add soy sauce for flavor to ensure tender texture without becoming tough.

Flavor Profile:
Yellow eel, also known simply as eel, has a cylindrical body covered in mucus. It can grow up to 70cm long and is commonly found in ponds, streams, and rice fields across China. It is rich in easily absorbed protein and historically valued in Chinese medicine for its health benefits. Braised Eel with Pork uses larger yellow eels, cooked in a red-braised style, resulting in a dish with a glossy, thick sauce, tender and flavorful meat, and a rich, satisfying taste. It is a popular home-cooked dish in Shanghai cuisine.

3 Stir-Fried Eel Strips

Ingredients:

  • 400g cooked eel, sliced into strips
  • 30g Shaoxing wine
  • 2g scallion, cut into sections
  • 40g dark soy sauce
  • 2g minced scallion
  • 10g sugar
  • 2g minced ginger
  • 0.5g ground black pepper
  • 5g minced garlic
  • 25g sesame oil
  • 75g cornstarch mixed with water
  • 125g peanut oil

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the eel strips and cut them into segments about 5cm long.
  2. Heat a wok over high heat, add peanut oil (50g), and heat until hot. Stir-fry the scallion sections (2g) until fragrant, then add the eel strips and stir-fry until partially cooked. Add Shaoxing wine (30g), minced ginger, dark soy sauce (40g), sugar (10g), and about 100g of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes until the eel strips are tender and flavorful. Increase the heat to high to reduce the sauce.
  3. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch mixture, drizzle with hot peanut oil (50g), and stir quickly until well combined. Transfer to a serving dish and use a spoon to create a small well in the center of the eel mixture. Add sesame oil (25g), minced scallion, minced garlic, and sprinkle with ground black pepper.
  4. Heat the remaining peanut oil (25g) until smoking hot in a separate pan, then carefully pour it into the well in the eel mixture. Quickly serve.

Cooking Tips:
Prepare the eel strips by removing bones and slicing before cooking. Ensure the eel strips are stir-fried until fully cooked and slightly curled.

Flavor Profile:
Stir-Fried Eel Strips uses small yellow eels, prepared by blanching in boiling water and then meticulously removing bones before slicing into segments. After cooking, create a well in the dish, add aromatic garnishes, and pour sizzling hot oil to create a dramatic presentation, releasing enticing sesame oil aromas and satisfying sizzling sounds, appealing to the senses.

4 Bamboo Shoots and Eel Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

  • 250g eel fillets, cut into 4.5cm segments
  • 1g ground black pepper
  • 15g yellow wine (Shaoxing wine)
  • 100g bamboo shoots, shredded
  • 10g sugar
  • 50g soy sauce
  • 75g pork lard
  • 3g MSG (optional)
  • 1g scallion, cut into sections
  • 5g sesame oil
  • 50g cornstarch mixed with water

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the eel fillets with water and drain well. Cut them into segments about 4.5cm long. Shred the bamboo shoots and set aside.
  2. Heat a wok over high heat, add 50g of pork lard and heat until it’s 70% hot. Add the scallion sections and stir-fry briefly, then add the eel segments and stir-fry until partially cooked. Add the shredded bamboo shoots and stir-fry until they are tender. Pour in the yellow wine (Shaoxing wine), cover and simmer briefly.
  3. Add minced ginger, soy sauce, sugar, MSG (if using), and about 250g of broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the eel and bamboo shoots are tender. Increase the heat to high to reduce the sauce.
  4. Thicken the sauce with the cornstarch mixture, drizzle with 15g of pork lard, and stir quickly until well combined. Transfer to a serving dish and use a spoon to create a small well in the center of the dish. Sprinkle with minced scallion.
  5. Heat the remaining 10g of pork lard and 5g of sesame oil in a separate pan until smoking hot. Pour it into the well in the eel mixture. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Cooking Tips:

  • Fresh bamboo shoots are ideal for this dish, especially those available in early spring, to enhance its fresh and tender flavor.
  • If eel fillets are not readily available, you can use live eels. Blanch them in boiling water, remove bones, and cut into fillets.
  • If bamboo shoots are not available, you can prepare a similar stir-fry with eel using the same method.
  • Winter bamboo shoots have a particularly sweet and delicious flavor, making them a delicacy in dishes.

Flavor Profile:
Eel has been highly regarded in ancient China for its nutritional richness and its ability to nourish the body. This dish features a rich sauce with a deep soy sauce color, and tender, flavorful meat. It is a seasonal specialty in Shanghai cuisine, perfect for springtime.

5 Stir-Fried Crabs in Soy Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 600g medium-sized river crabs
  • 15g edamame (green soybeans)
  • 40g flour
  • 15g yellow wine (Shaoxing wine)
  • 25g soy sauce
  • 15g sugar
  • 2g MSG (optional)
  • 200g chicken broth
  • 2g chopped scallions
  • 10g minced ginger
  • 10g cornstarch mixed with water
  • 100g pork lard

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the river crabs thoroughly with water. Place each crab on a cutting board belly-side up. Use a knife to cut each crab in half through the belly, remove the guts and tips of the claws, and dip the cut parts in flour. Arrange the crabs on a plate.
  2. Heat a wok over high heat. Add 75g of pork lard and heat until it’s 70% hot. Place the crabs in the wok, starting with the flour-dipped side down. Fry until they turn bright red. Add yellow wine (Shaoxing wine) and cover for a brief moment to reduce the fishy smell. Then add soy sauce, sugar, minced ginger, edamame, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 7-8 minutes until the crab meat is cooked through.
  3. Increase the heat to high to reduce the sauce. Add MSG (if using) and thicken with the cornstarch mixture, stirring until well combined. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and pour in 25g of pork lard. Lift the wok slightly and swirl to coat the crabs evenly with the sauce.
  4. Transfer the crabs to a serving dish, arranging them with the belly-side down and back facing up, neatly stacked in the plate.

Cooking Tips:

  • Dipping the cut parts of the crabs in flour helps retain the crab roe.
  • When selecting crabs, choose live ones that are lively and responsive. A good river crab will flip over quickly and may even produce bubbles and sounds.

Flavor Profile:
This dish features a vibrant red color with a thick, glossy sauce, tightly coating the crabs. The meat is tender and succulent, infused with a rich and savory flavor profile.

6 The Best Clam Dish

Ingredients:

  • 250g clam meat
  • 5g chopped green onions
  • 5g minced ginger
  • 15g yellow wine (Shaoxing wine)
  • 5g salt
  • 40g vegetable oil

Instructions:

  1. Split open the clam shells and carefully scrape out the clam meat and membranes. Rinse the clam meat thoroughly under water and place it in a bowl. Do not leave it in a bamboo basket as it may drain the moisture.
  2. Combine the clam meat with chopped green onions, minced ginger, yellow wine, and salt.
  3. Heat a wok over high heat and add vegetable oil. When the oil is very hot (about 190°C), quickly stir-fry the prepared clam mixture for a few seconds until cooked.

Cooking Tips:

  • When scraping the clam meat from the shells, be careful not to break the membranes, as this helps retain moisture and ensures tenderness. Wash and scrape the meat gently under water, always in one direction to avoid mixing in sand and debris.
  • Stir-fry the clam meat over high heat to quickly seal in the juices and proteins.

Flavor Profile:

  1. Clams, also known as flower clams or yellow clams, have thick shells with distinctive patterns. The meat is tender and white, resembling ancient weapons such as a crescent moon axe.
  2. Clams are delicious and rich in nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins.
  3. According to ancient texts like the “Compendium of Materia Medica,” clams were used to treat various ailments and are believed to have medicinal properties, including anti-cancer effects and respiratory benefits.
  4. Clam meat is prized for its freshness and rich taste, earning it the title of “The Best Clam Dish.”
  5. Clams can be prepared in various ways including stir-frying, sautéing, braising, and boiling.
  6. This dish is full-bodied, juicy, smooth-textured, and stands out for its exquisite appearance and delicious flavor, making it a delicacy admired for its beauty and taste.

7 Marinated River Snails

Ingredients:

  • 750g river snails
  • 400g ham hock
  • 15g cinnamon sticks
  • 5 star anise
  • 5g green onions (cut into sections)
  • 5g ginger (sliced)
  • 50g aged aromatic marinade
  • 10g sugar
  • 5g MSG (optional)
  • 50g yellow wine (Shaoxing wine)
  • 25g vegetable oil
  • 50g lard
  • 25g soy sauce
  • 500g broth

Instructions:

  1. Trim the tails of the river snails, wash thoroughly, and place in a bowl. Cover with cold water and add a sufficient amount of vegetable oil. Let it soak for 1-2 days to expel any sand or dirt.
  2. Heat a wok over medium heat, add lard, and heat until hot. Add green onions and ginger, stir-fry until fragrant, then remove from the wok. Add the river snails and stir-fry briefly. Pour in yellow wine, soy sauce, and broth, bring to a boil, then remove the river snails and set aside.
  3. Skim the soup in the wok to remove impurities. Return the river snails to the wok, along with ham hock, ginger slices, star anise, cinnamon sticks, sugar, and MSG (if using). Bring to a boil, then add the aged aromatic marinade. Remove the ham hock, ginger slices, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. Pour in the remaining lard, stir well, and transfer to a serving plate.

Cooking Tips:

  • It’s crucial to allow the river snails to expel any sand or dirt before cooking to avoid a gritty texture.

Flavor Profile:

  1. River snails, like the Chinese round snails, inhabit lakes, ponds, rice fields, and slow-flowing streams. Their meat is edible, and their shells are often used as feed for poultry.
  2. In Shanghai cuisine, fresh river snails combined with aromatic marinade produce a dish known for its tender texture and absence of earthy flavors.
  3. This dish features a light red color, tender meat, fragrant and flavorful marinade, making it a delightful and savory delicacy.

8 Deep-Fried Squid

Ingredients:

  • 500g squid
  • 250g sweet bean paste
  • 20g alkali
  • 450g sweet sauce
  • 17.5g five-spice salt powder
  • 500g vegetable oil

Instructions:

  1. Rehydrating the squid: Soak the squid in cold water until softened, then remove. Dissolve the alkali in about 300g of boiling water, then add around 1250g of cold water and mix well. Submerge the squid in this alkaline water mixture for about 3 hours, flipping occasionally, until the squid turns purplish-red. Remove and soak in cold water for about 6 hours, changing the water every hour, especially in cold weather, to remove any remaining saltiness. You should end up with approximately 2000g of rehydrated squid.
  2. Shaping: Start from the tail end of the rehydrated squid and peel the skin towards the middle. If the skin is difficult to peel, turn the squid around and peel from the top, crossing from left to right with your hands. Remove any remaining beards and prickles. Use scissors to cut 3-4 incisions on both sides to enhance flavor absorption. Rinse the squid thoroughly under clean water.
  3. Heat a wok over high heat and add vegetable oil, heating until it reaches about 180-200°C (350-390°F). Remove from heat and let it cool slightly. Carefully add the prepared squid until it turns purplish-red, curls up, and small bubbles appear on the skin, indicating it’s cooked. Remove from the wok, cut into diamond-shaped pieces, and place on a serving plate. Sprinkle with five-spice salt powder and soy sauce. Serve with a side dish of sweet bean paste for dipping.

Cooking Tips:

  • The squid used in this dish is specifically from Shantou, Guangdong, known for its quality and texture.
  • Five-spice salt powder: Fry salt until it pops, then cool and mix with five-spice powder.
  • Sweet bean paste: Cook sweet bean paste with sugar and a little water over low heat until it thickens to a glossy reddish color.
  • Adjust soaking times based on temperature; approximately 12 hours in summer and up to 24 hours in colder weather.

Flavor Profile:

  1. This dish uses squid from Shantou, Guangdong, known for its fresh or aged varieties. Fresh squid is chewy and tough, while aged squid is tender and soft.
  2. The dish features a purplish-red color, crisp and fragrant texture, and exceptionally flavorful and tender taste.

9 Stir-Fried Prawns

Ingredients:

  • Fresh large river prawns (alive)… 4000g
  • Peanut oil… 750g
  • Minced ginger… 10g
  • Chopped scallions… 10g
  • Yellow rice wine… 25g
  • Soy sauce… 20g
  • MSG… 10g
  • Sugar… 15g
  • Broth… 50g
  • Sesame oil… 10g

Instructions:

  1. Remove the heads, spines, whiskers, and legs from the prawns, wash them thoroughly, and drain. Heat peanut oil in a wok until it reaches 80% hot, then stir-fry the prawns until their shells turn red. Drain the prawns in a colander to remove excess oil.
  2. In the same wok, add more peanut oil as needed. Stir-fry the scallions, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, MSG, and broth until well combined. Quickly return the prawns to the wok, stir-fry briefly, then pour in the sesame oil. Remove from heat, transfer to a serving dish, and serve immediately.

Cooking Tips:

  • Stir-frying prawns should ideally use vegetable oil. If animal fat is used, it may result in a cloudy appearance once cooled, which can be less appetizing.

Flavor Profile:

  1. Stir-fried prawns have a shiny, smooth surface with thin, translucent shells, often referred to as “bright prawn searing.”
  2. There are two types of stir-fried prawns: aged and tender. Aged stir-fried prawns have slightly contracted meat with a robust and intensely flavorful taste. Tender stir-fried prawns have more delicate meat, offering a refreshing flavor. Particularly around the Dragon Boat Festival, prawns are rich and exceptionally delicious.
  3. This dish has a glossy red appearance, with a crispy exterior and tender interior, making it a traditional favorite for drinking in the Jiangnan region.

10 Cauldron Stewed Offal

Ingredients:

  • Pork lung… 75g
  • Green garlic shoots… 25g
  • Pork stomach… 100g
  • Salt… 10g
  • Pork liver… 100g
  • White wine… 1000g
  • Ham hocks… 75g
  • Cooking wine… 10g
  • Pork intestines… 200g
  • Knotted scallions… 5g
  • Pork heart… 20g
  • Pig’s trotters… 75g
  • Fermented brine… 100g
  • Bamboo shoots (sliced)… 50g
  • Rendered pork fat… 55g
  • Firm tofu cubes… 12 pieces
  • MSG… 2g

Instructions:

  1. Clean the pork lung thoroughly with water, blanch it in boiling water to remove any impurities and blood, then wash and cut into pieces about 4.9 cm long and 3.3 cm wide. Clean the pork stomach and intestines, blanch them briefly in boiling water, scrape off any white residue, and remove any mucous. Cut the intestines into half-inch segments and the stomach into pieces about 4.9 cm long and 2 cm wide. Chop the pig’s trotters into chunks. Slice the pork liver. Soak the firm tofu in alkaline water, then rinse thoroughly in clean water to remove any impurities.
  2. Take a large clay pot and add the prepared pork lung, intestines, stomach, heart, trotters, ham hocks, knotted scallions, and ginger slices. Pour in the white wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam, add 25g of rendered pork fat, place a plate on top to press down the ingredients, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for about 3 hours until everything is tender. Remove the plate, discard the scallions and ginger, then add the firm tofu, pork liver, bamboo shoots, cooking wine, salt, MSG. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Finally, uncover, add the remaining 30g of rendered pork fat and fermented brine, sprinkle with green garlic shoots, and serve.

Cooking Tips:

  • After slicing the pork liver, cover it with a clean, damp cloth to prevent it from hardening. Store it in the refrigerator during hot weather to prevent spoilage.
  • Placing a plate on top of the ingredients in the clay pot helps them cook evenly and prevents discoloration.
  • In winter, green garlic shoots can be used by splitting and loosening them with a knife into 3.3 cm segments. In spring, use chives instead.
  • To prepare the fermented brine, soak wine lees in water to extract the fragrance, a process that takes approximately 4 hours. Strain out the solids to obtain the brine.

Flavor Profile:

  1. This dish is a specialty from Shanghai, named after its ingredients and cooking vessel. It predominantly uses pork offal, meticulously prepared to eliminate any unpleasant odor, resulting in a dish with a unique fermented aroma and therapeutic properties.
  2. The thick and sticky sauce is rich with the aroma of fermentation, and the textures are tender and smooth throughout.