Hangzhou Dishes: Top Food Liked by Locals and Travelers
Zhejiang Gastronomy is part of one of the eight culinary traditions of China and corresponds to the culinary traditions and customs of the inhabitants of Zhejiang province. Generally all the style is concentrated in Hangzhou restaurants. Zhejiang cuisine uses dishes that are rich in poultry meat, as well as different fish that come from the Yangtze River. The Hangzhou style is characterized by the use of bamboo shoots. We recommend some typical Hangzhou dishes so that foreign tourists have the opportunity to taste exotic flavors.
West Lake Fish
West Lake fish with sweet and sour sauce is known as the most famous dish in Hangzhou. Generally the fish used in this dish come from West Lake. Before the cooking process of the dish, a fresh live carp should be starved in clear water for one or two days to eliminate intestinal waste and obtain the exquisite flavor. It is then cut in half from head to tail but not separated, delicately poached and then served eyes up and topped with a spicy, sweet and sour, vinegar-based sauce. The fish meat has a tender and delicious flavor.
Dongpo Pork
Dongpo pork, is a famous dish named after a revered poet, calligrapher and Song Dynasty artist, Su Dongpo. Pork is taken as the main ingredient. The pork is cut to about 2 inches square in dimensions, consisting of half fat and half lean meat. They need at least four hours to make Dongpo Pork, which results in much of its oiliness sans fat. The meat is so tender that you can easily pry it into small pieces with chopsticks. It is very delicate and succulently, carried with a fragrance of wine.
Fried Shrimp with Longjing Tea
Fried shrimp with Longjing tea is the other cuisine of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. This plate is mainly composed of white and green color, looking elegant. The white is shrimp and the green is Longjing tea. The flavor is aromatic and light. The main ingredient is the meat of live river prawns. They are coated with egg white and starch, and then fried in lard at a medium-low temperature for 15 seconds. They are removed from the moistened oil and drained when the shrimp turn white, and quickly stir-fried over extreme heat with boiling infused water with Longjing tea, tea leaves and Shaoxing wine.
Beggar's Chicken
Beggar's chicken comes from traditional ways of cooking in Zhejiang province. First of all, you have to wrap a whole chicken with spices in the lotus leaves. Next, they roast the chicken over an open fire. When the chicken is fully cooked, the sludge forms a hard shell around the chicken and cracks before revealing the delicious roasted chicken inside. Including fillings, clay wrapping and roasting process, it generally takes about 6 hours to prepare a single serving.
