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Huaiyang cuisine
Huaiyang cuisine
Traditional Chinese	淮揚菜
Simplified Chinese	淮扬菜
Literal meaning	Cuisine of Huai['an] and Yang[zhou]
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Huáiyáng cài
Wade–Giles	Huai-yang Tsai
Jianghuai cuisine
Chinese	江淮菜
Literal meaning	Cuisine of [the Land between] the Yangtze and the Huai
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Jiānghuái cài
Wade–Giles	Chiang-huai Tsai

Huaiyang or Jianghuai cuisine is one of the Four Great Traditions in Chinese cuisine. It is derived from the native cooking styles of the region surrounding the lower reaches of the Huai and Yangtze rivers and centered on the cities of Huai'an, Yangzhou and Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province. Although it is one of several sub-regional styles within Jiangsu cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine is widely seen in Chinese culinary circles^[1] as the most popular and prestigious style of Jiangsu cuisine, to a point where it is considered to be one of the Four Great Traditions (四大菜系; Sì dà càixì) that dominate the culinary heritage of China, along with Cantonese cuisine, Shandong cuisine, and Sichuan cuisine.

History and current status

Huaiyang cuisine, originating from regions around Huaihe River and Yangtze River, mainly Huai'an and Yangzhou, has been famous since the Sui (581–618) and Tang (618–907) dynasties. Emperors Kangxi (1654–1722) and Qianlong (1711–1799) often stayed in Huai'an and Yangzhou during their travels to the southern regions of the Yangtze River down the Grand Canal, making the cuisine popular in the nation. It has been listed as one of the four major cuisines in China since the reign of Emperor Qianlong.^[2]

Typical features

Huaiyang cuisine is characterized by basing each dish on its main ingredient; the way that ingredient is cut is pivotal to its cooking and its final taste. The cuisine is also known for its use of Chinkiang vinegar, which is produced in the Jiangsu region. Huaiyang cuisine tends to have a slightly sweet side to it and is almost never spicy, in contrast to some Chinese cuisines (like Sichuan or Hunan). Pork, chicken, and freshwater aquatic products serve as the protein base in most dishes, which are usually lighter and more meticulous prepared.^[3]

Notable dishes

English	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Notes
Dazhu gansi	大煮乾絲	大煮干丝	dàzhǔ gānsī	Braised shredded chicken with ham and dried tofu
Jade shaomai	翡翠燒賣	翡翠烧卖	fěicùi shāomài
Lion's head	獅子頭	狮子头	shīzi tóu	Braised pork meatballs in brown sauce
Noodles with shrimp and pork dumplings	蝦子餃麪	虾籽饺面	xīazi jǐaomiàn
Pot stickers	鮮肉鍋貼	鲜肉锅贴	xiānròu gūotīe
Sliced fatty pork slices	厚皮香豬	厚皮香猪	hòupí xīangzhū
Yangchow fried rice	揚州炒飯	扬州炒饭	Yángzhōu chǎofàn

Others include Yangzhou pickles, baozi, ginkgo, Qionghuayu liquor, Nanshan green tea, baoying lotus root starch, and Jiangdu short pastry.

Baozi is a type of steamed bun with meat，paste fillings，a sweet filling made with red beans. The "five diced buns" made of chicken, pork, bamboo shoots, shrimp, and sea cucumbers are Yangzhou specialties. It is sometimes served for breakfast and is best eaten hot.

There is also a dish called "beggar's chicken" (叫花雞; jiàohuā jī), which is a whole chicken marinated with spices and wrapped in aluminum foil. Contrary to its name, it is not a food for the homeless, but was traditionally wrapped in leaves or sometimes even covered in clay to allow the full flavour of the chicken to be preserved.

There is a famous branch of Huaiyang cuisine, Suxi cuisine, which refers to dishes from Suzhou and Wuxi. Wuxi sauced spare ribs, with a long history since the Qing dynasty, is a specialty in Wuxi, along with Liangxi crispy fried eel and other dishes. Another dish from the area is squirrel fish, a dish prepared in the shape of a squirrel.^[2]

Unusual dishes local to Nanjing are duck blood and vermicelli soup and stinky tofu.

Use in official dining

Huaiyang cuisine has been employed in official occasions by the Chinese government. Some examples include:

In 1949, for the first state banquet of the People's Republic of China.
In 1999, for China's 50th anniversary state banquet.
In 2002, for visiting U.S. President George W. Bush, hosted by Chinese President and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Jiang Zemin.