Hui cai (徽菜, Anhui cuisine) is one of the lesser-known of the Eight Great Cuisines outside China — associated with the historical Huizhou prefecture in southern Anhui province (the same region that produced the distinctive Huizhou architectural style of white walls and black tile roofs). Hui cai is characterised by: (1) Heavy use of preserved and cured ingredients — Jinhua-adjacent hams, dried and pickled vegetables, and fermented preparations that reflect the mountainous region's preservation traditions. (2) A notable tolerance for strong flavours including fermented and aged ingredients (the infamous chou gui yu, stinky mandarin fish, is the most extreme example). (3) Slow braising techniques that develop collagen-rich, deeply savoury preparations. (4) Wild mountain ingredients — foraged greens, bamboo shoots, and wild fungi.
Defining preparations of Anhui cuisine: Chou gui yu (臭鳜鱼, fermented mandarin fish): A whole mandarin fish (gui yu) salted and fermented at room temperature for 5-7 days until it develops a distinctively pungent aroma and a smooth, silky texture. Braised with Pixian doubanjiang, ginger, garlic, and Shaoxing wine. The fermented fish has a complex, deeply savoury flavour that is less aggressively funky than it smells. Zhonghe bao (毛豆腐, mao doufu, 'hairy tofu'): Fresh tofu inoculated with a white mold (Mucor) and allowed to grow a white fur over 3-5 days. The mold is then pan-fried or grilled until its exterior is golden and crispy. One of the most unique preparations in Chinese food. Li hongzhang za sui (李鸿章杂碎): Attributed to the Qing dynasty diplomat Li Hongzhang — a mixed offal and ingredient stew that became, apocryphally, the origin story for American chop suey.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Invitation to a Banquet (2023)