Guangdong Province — jellyfish has been eaten in China for over 1,700 years; it is one of the oldest Chinese preserved seafood traditions
Liang ban hai zhe: marinated jellyfish — dried and salted jellyfish reconstituted, blanched briefly in hot water, then chilled and dressed with sesame oil, light soy, Chinkiang vinegar, chili oil, and garlic. One of the defining cold appetisers of Cantonese banquet dining — the silky, crunchy texture is unique in the Chinese cold dish canon.
Crisp, slightly chewy, silky — a neutral canvas for the sharp sesame-vinegar-chili dressing
{"Dried jellyfish requires 3 days of soaking in cold water, changing water daily — removes salt and softens","Brief hot water blanch (5 seconds only) sets the texture — too long and jellyfish turns mushy","Immediate cold water transfer after blanching — preserves the crunchy texture","Dressing applied fresh — jellyfish absorbs liquids quickly; dress just before serving"}
{"Slice or shred into thin strips for optimal texture presentation","Mix with julienned cucumber for a classic pairing","The Cantonese banquet jellyfish platter typically has 8 cold dishes — jellyfish is always one of them"}
{"Over-blanching — jellyfish loses its characteristic crunch and becomes flabby","Insufficient soaking — remains too salty","Dressing too early — jellyfish weeps liquid and dilutes the seasoning"}
Land of Fish and Rice — Fuchsia Dunlop