Why
Shanghai cuisine
is special

The cooks of Shanghai tend to cook with more flair than do their counterparts in other Chinese regions.

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Insights on the
cuisine of Shanghai

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Geographic definition

"Shanghai cuisine" today defines an area much greater than the city and immediate environs of Shanghai. The term has been expanded to embrace the vast area known as the Central Coast. My map depicts that area.

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Cuisine comparisons

Compared to Cantonese cooking, Shanghai cuisine is more assertively seasoned and higher in fat content, thus generally higher in calories, but lighter and more mildly seasoned than Mandarin cuisine.

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Sweet-and-sour

The cuisine of this area is characterized by the liberal use of sugar to sweeten dishes. To many of these dishes, a large dose of the local rice wine vinegar is added, producing sweet-and-sour specialties.

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Degree of doneness

Most cooks in the region tend to cook their ingredients to a degree of doneness that could shock a Cantonese chef.

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Famous specialties
of Shanghai

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Sweet and Sour Pork

Generally sweeter and more sour than the Cantonese version.

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Beggar's Chicken

Coated in wet clay, then baked, so that the hardened clay can be chipped away from the tender chicken.

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Soup Dumplings

They are filled with a broth, then steamed. The soup squirts out in the diner's mouth as he bites into the dumpling.

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Ten Varieties Hot-Pot

A plate of sliced meats and vegetables which the diners cook in a communal pot of steaming broth.

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Yangchow Fried Rice

Leftover rice stir-fried with an especially rich mixture of foods.

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Lion's Head

A casserole dish of huge steamed pork balls.

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Soused Shrimp

Live shrimp are placed in spiced wine. They become inebriated, and are eaten in that condition.

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Squirrel Fish

A flattened deep-fried fish served whole and smothered in sweet-and-sour sauce.

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Eight Precious Rice

A sweet rice pudding with mixed dried fruit, often served in mid banquet.

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Dragon Well Tea

Some connoisseurs consider it to be the finest green tea in the world. It is grown near Shanghai.

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Test yourself

How many of these major
world cuisines do you know well?

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©2010 HQP / Hillman Quality Publications