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Jiangsu refers to the part of Jiangsu south of the Yangtze River,
namely Suzhou and Wuxi; while Zhejiang refers to the western part
of the province, namely Hangzhou and Huzhou. The economy in the two
provinces began growing after the middle of the Tang Dynasty
(around the 5th century). Following the Five Dynasties (907 - 960),
the economic and cultural centers moved south, and literati
gathered in these places. If the catering trade in Huai'an and
Yangzhou chiefly met the needs of important, rich traders, the
cooking skills and features in this area reflected the interests
and tastes of the literati.
Jiangsu Zhejiang cuisine stresses the use of vegetables, bamboo
shoots, mushrooms, and water shield, which gives the food a light,
fresh taste. Vegetable dishes make up the bulk of the common
people's daily meals, but also are popular dishes on the menus of
famous restaurants. These dishes include cabbage heart cooked in
chicken fat, braised fish slivers, spring bamboo shoots braised in
oil, spinach flavored with shrimp sauce, West Lake live fish
steamed with vinegar, and water shield soup. Fish or meat dishes
are often cooked together with vegetables; and fish, shrimp, crab,
and mussels from the rivers and lakes are also served as
delicacies. In this area the fish and shrimp are often kept alive
until they are cooked, so the foods served in restaurants are very
fresh.
The Jiangsu Zhejiang cuisine has many famous fish and shrimp
dishes. For example, Mandarin Fish Shaped like a Squirrel topped
with sweet and sour tomato sauce was praised by Emperor Qianlong of
the Qing Dynasty as the "the Number One Dish in the World." West
Lake fish steamed in vinegar has been famous for centuries, minced
perch in Songjiang has been praised for a millennia, and braised
shrimp served with Longjing tea in Hangzhou and braised shrimp
served with Biluo Spring tea are both very popular.
Jiangsu Zhejiang dishes are slightly sweet and less salty, but some
dishes are cooked with sweet and sour flavors. The use of
distiller's grain is a special feature of the Jiangsu Zhejiang
cuisine. The grains are used to remove unpleasant smells and
improve the aroma. According to historical data, crab and goose
pickled with grain were among the foods available in Hangzhou
during the Southern Song Dynasty. Afterward, distiller's grain was
used for flavor in almost all dishes; for example, eggplant was
cooked with grain and pork was steamed with grain.
Jiangsu Zhejiang dishes are cooked in a similar manner to Huai Yang
cuisine, and importance is attached to simmering, stewing,
braising, boiling in covered pot, and steaming. Most dishes are
served in delicious soup. The shapes and colors are natural, as
contrasted with Huai-Yang cuisine. Its cakes and balls, made of
glutinous rice stuffed with sweet red-bean paste or with sesame
seeds and sugar, are famous throughout the two province. Festival
delicacies include New Year's cake, gold and silver balls served
during Spring Festival, sweet dumplings served at the Lantern
Festival on the 15th day of the first moon, green and white
dumplings served on the Pure Brightness Day, black rice cake served
on the Beginning of Summer Day, cold agar Kelly served on July 15,
and the sweet cake served on the Double dumplings made of glutinous
rice, rice balls, cold cakes, pine-seed cakes, fuling cakes, sponge
cakes, crystal cakes, and comb cakes.
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