Browse Techniques

Chou gui yu (臭鳜鱼, stinky mandarin fish) is the most discussed and controversial preparation of Anhui cuisine — a fresh mandarin fish (gui yu, also called Chinese perch) that is dry-salted and allowed to ferment at room temperature for 5-7 days before cooking, developing a characteristic strong aroma (described variously as pungent, funky, ammoniac, or deeply savoury) and a transformation in texture and flavour that is impossible to achieve by any other means. The fermented fish is then braised with Pixian doubanjiang, aromatics, and Shaoxing wine, producing a preparation where the fierce exterior aroma belies the complex, deep, almost luxurious interior flavour of the braised fish.

Laghman (拉条子, la tiao zi, literally pulled strips) is the hand-pulled noodle dish of the Uyghur people of Xinjiang — long, thick, hand-stretched noodles served with a meat sauce of braised lamb, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and Xinjiang spices (cumin, coriander, black pepper). The noodles are made using a specific pulling technique: a thick rope of dough is stretched between the hands, then swung and pulled repeatedly, doubling in length with each pass, until the desired thickness is achieved. The dish is a direct relative of the Central Asian laghman found in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan — reflecting the shared culinary heritage of the Silk Road.

Mao doufu (毛豆腐, literally hairy tofu) is a fresh tofu inoculated (accidentally or intentionally) with a white mold (Mucor genus, closely related to the mold used in some doufu ru fermentations) and allowed to grow a dense coating of white mycelium for 3-5 days at room temperature. The resulting tofu, covered in a thick white fur of mold, is then grilled or pan-fried until the mold exterior turns golden-brown and crispy while the interior becomes impossibly silky and slightly runny — the mold's proteolytic enzymes have broken down the tofu proteins during the fermentation, producing a texture midway between fresh tofu and custard. It is sold at street food stalls in the Huizhou region and at markets in Zhejiang.

Nang (馕, Uyghur naan bread) is the fundamental bread of the Uyghur people of Xinjiang — a round, slightly leavened flatbread baked by slapping the shaped dough onto the inner walls of a cylindrical tandoor oven (known as a tanur in Uyghur, similar to the Central Asian tandoor). The bread bakes in 5-8 minutes, developing a blistered, slightly smoky exterior from the direct contact with the clay walls and the radiant heat of the wood or charcoal fire below. Nang is the daily bread of Xinjiang — eaten with tea, served alongside laghman, or used to scoop polo (pilaf). Many varieties exist: plain nang (komach nang), sesame nang, scallion nang, and the smaller, more festive flower nang (gul nang) decorated with traditional pressed patterns.

Shou zhua fan (手抓饭, literally hand-grabbed rice) is the Uyghur preparation of polo — a rice pilaf of Silk Road origin, related to Persian polo and Central Asian plov. It is made with lamb, carrots, onions, and rice cooked together in lamb fat in a specific sequence that produces a rice that has absorbed all the flavour of the lamb-braised carrot-onion base. The name refers to the traditional manner of eating — with the right hand directly from a communal platter, without utensils. It is the celebratory food of Uyghur culture, served at weddings, funerals, and religious gatherings.

Tsampa (糌粑, zanba in Mandarin) is the staple food of Tibetan culture — roasted barley flour mixed with butter tea (yak butter and tea), Tibetan beer (chang), or water to form a thick dough or porridge. It is the daily food of nomadic herders and farmers in Tibet and the surrounding Himalayan regions, eaten at every meal in some form. Tsampa's unique preparation — roasting the barley before milling — makes it pregelatinized and instantly edible without further cooking, ideal for the nomadic lifestyle where fuel for cooking is scarce.

Su you cha (酥油茶, yak butter tea) is the traditional beverage of Tibet — black pu-erh tea (or another strong tea) brewed very strong, then churned vigorously in a long cylindrical churn (dogmo, 道木) with a large knob of yak butter (su you, 酥油) and salt until the mixture is completely emulsified, producing a thick, rich, slightly salty, fatty beverage. It is drunk throughout the day in Tibetan culture — at breakfast with tsampa, as hospitality for guests, and as sustenance for long journeys. It is an acquired taste for most non-Tibetans but is physiologically appropriate for high-altitude life — providing calories, fat, salt (for electrolyte replacement), and caffeine.

Yang rou chuan (羊肉串, literally lamb meat skewers) are the most internationally recognisable preparation of Xinjiang's Uyghur cuisine — small cubes of lamb (with fat attached) skewered on thin metal skewers, seasoned with cumin (zi ran, 孜然) and chilli powder, then grilled over charcoal. Yang rou chuan stalls appear at night markets across China; the sizzle of lamb fat on charcoal, the fragrance of cumin, and the visual spectacle of hundreds of skewers grilling simultaneously are one of the defining sensory experiences of Chinese street food culture.

Bak kut teh (肉骨茶, literally meat bone tea — a Hokkien/Teochew preparation eaten with tea) is the pork rib soup of the Fujianese diaspora communities of Malaysia and Singapore, where it became a morning meal for labourers in the 19th century. Two distinct styles exist: the Malaysian (and Klang city) version — a pale, peppery clear broth heavy with white pepper and garlic; and the Singaporean (and Teochew) version — darker, more complex, with star anise, cinnamon, and a richer herbal profile. Both share the use of pork ribs (spare ribs) simmered for a long time in the seasoned broth, served with braised tofu skin, enoki mushrooms, and fried dough sticks (you tiao) for dipping.

Cong shao hai shen (葱烧海参, scallion-braised sea cucumber) is considered one of the most challenging and prestigious preparations in the Shandong culinary canon — a test of both ingredient preparation skill and sauce-building technique. Sea cucumber (海参, hai shen) must undergo an elaborate rehydration process before cooking; the finished dish should have a sea cucumber that is silky, deeply savoury, and saturated with a glossy scallion-braised sauce, resting in a pool of intensely flavoured braising liquid that has been reduced to a near-glaze.

The restaurant technique for serving guo qiao mi xian (过桥米线) requires precise sequencing and timing to ensure that the broth is still sufficiently hot to cook the raw ingredients at the table — the defining characteristic of the dish. Professional Yunnan restaurants serve the broth in a pre-heated clay pot in a insulating wooden sleeve, with the fat seal intact (a layer of rendered chicken fat that insulates the surface and retains heat). The skill of the cook is in ensuring the broth arrives at the table at 90-95C — hot enough to cook thin-sliced raw protein in 30-45 seconds.

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.

Man Han Quan Xi (满汉全席, Manchu-Han Imperial Feast) is the legendary imperial banquet said to have been served at Qing dynasty court — a three-day, multiple-feast event comprising 108 or more dishes incorporating both Manchu hunting and wild game preparations (representing the Manchu ruling class's nomadic heritage) and Han Chinese culinary traditions (representing the conquered Han majority's sophisticated court cuisine). It is the ultimate expression of the imperial synthesis — a meal designed to legitimate Qing rule by demonstrating mastery over both traditions. Most historical accounts of the Man Han Quan Xi come from the 18th-19th centuries, and the specific dishes varied. Modern Man Han Quan Xi banquets are staged recreations for special occasions.

O-a chian (蚵仔煎, Taiwanese: o-ah-chian, Hokkien pronunciation of oyster omelette) is the most iconic of Taiwan's night market street foods and one of the defining preparations of Fujianese cooking — a crispy-edged, slightly gooey omelette made from fresh oysters, beaten eggs, and a sweet potato starch slurry that creates an almost glutinous, sticky interior. The final dish is topped with a sweet-spicy sauce (typically a mix of ketchup, miso, and chilli sauce) and fresh coriander. The texture — simultaneously crispy-edged and gooey-centered — is one of the most distinctive in Chinese street food.

Popiah (薄饼, Hokkien: poh-piah, literally thin cake) is the fresh spring roll of Fujianese and Teochew cuisine — a thin, soft, round wheat flour crepe (the skin) wrapped around a cooked filling of jicama (bangkuang), turnip or daikon, beansprouts, egg, prawns, and pork, with various condiments added at the table. It is distinct from the fried spring roll in being uncooked after assembly — the wrapper is soft and moist, not fried. Popiah is prepared at the table, with diners assembling their own rolls from a selection of fillings and condiments. It is the Fujianese equivalent of the Peking duck pancake ritual — a communal assembly meal.