Chaoshan cuisine, also known as Chiuchow cuisine, Chaozhou cuisine or Teo-swa cuisine, originated from the
Chaoshan
Chaoshan or Teoswa (; peng'im: ''Dio5suan1'' i̯o˥˥꜖꜖.sũ̯ã˧˧ is a cultural-linguistic region in the east of Guangdong, China. It is the origin of the Min Nan Chaoshan dialect (). The region, also known as Chiushan in Cantonese, c ...
region in the eastern part of China's
Guangdong Province, which includes the cities of
Chaozhou,
Shantou and
Jieyang
Jieyang () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Guangdong Province (Yuedong), People's Republic of China, part of the Chaoshan region whose people speak Chaoshan Min distinct from neighbouring Yue speakers. It is historically important as th ...
. Chaoshan cuisine bears more similarities to that of
Fujian cuisine, particularly
Southern Min
Southern Min (), Minnan (Mandarin pronunciation: ) or Banlam (), is a group of linguistically similar and historically related Sinitic languages that form a branch of Min Chinese spoken in Fujian (especially the Minnan region), most of Taiwan ( ...
cuisine, due to the similarity of Chaoshan's and Fujian's culture, language, and their geographic proximity to each other.
However, Chaoshan cuisine is also influenced by
Cantonese cuisine in its style and technique.
[
]
Background
Chaoshan cuisine is well known for its seafood and vegetarian dishes. Its use of flavouring is much less heavy-handed than most other Chinese cuisines and depends much on the freshness and quality of the ingredients for taste and flavour. As a delicate cuisine, oil is not often used in large quantities and there is a relatively heavy emphasis on poaching, steaming and braising
Braising (from the French word ''braiser'') is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first browned at a high temperature, then simmered in a covered pot in cooking liquid (such as wine, broth, coco ...
, as well as the common Chinese method of stir-frying
Stir frying () is a cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok. The technique originated in China and in recent centuries has spread into other parts of Asia and t ...
. Chaoshan cuisine is also known for serving congee (; or ''mue''), in addition to steamed rice
Cooked rice refers to rice that has been cooked either by steaming or boiling. The terms steamed rice or boiled rice are also commonly used. Any variant of Asian rice (both Indica and Japonica varieties), African rice or wild rice, glutinous ...
or noodles with meals. The Chaoshan ' is rather different from the Cantonese counterpart, being very watery with the rice sitting loosely at the bottom of the bowl, while the Cantonese dish is more a thin gruel.
Authentic Chaoshan restaurants serve very strong oolong tea called Tieguanyin
''Tieguanyin'' (; Standard Chinese pronunciation ) is a variety of Chinese oolong tea that originated in the 19th century in Anxi in Fujian province. Tieguanyin produced in different areas of Anxi have different gastronomic characteristics.
N ...
in very tiny cups before and after the meal. Presented as ''gongfu'' tea, the tea has a thickly bittersweet taste, colloquially known as ''gam gam'' ().
A condiment that is popular in Fujian and Taiwanese cuisine
Taiwanese cuisine (, Bopomofo:ㄊㄞˊㄨㄢˉㄌㄧㄠˋㄌㄧˇ, or , Bopomofo:ㄊㄞˊㄨㄢˉㄘㄞˋ) has several variations. The earliest known cuisines of Taiwan are that of the Taiwanese indigenous peoples. Over hundred years of histor ...
and commonly associated with cuisine of certain Chaoshan groups is shacha sauce
Shacha sauce (; also spelled sa cha sauce) is a savory, slightly spicy Chinese condiment used in Teochew, Fujian, and Taiwanese cuisines. It is made from soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilies, Chinese brill, and dried shrimp. It is also someti ...
(). It is made from soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilies, brill fish and dried shrimp. The paste has a savoury and slightly spicy taste. As an ingredient, it has multiple uses: as a base for soups, as a rub for barbecued meats, as a seasoning for stir-fried dishes, or as a component for dipping sauces.
In addition to soy sauce
Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and '' Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''Asp ...
(widely used in all Chinese cuisines), the Chaoshan diaspora in Southeast Asia use fish sauce
Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao ...
in their cooking. It is used as a flavouring agent in soups and sometimes as a dipping sauce, as in Vietnamese spring rolls.
Chaoshan chefs often use a special stock called superior broth (). This stock remains on the stove and is continuously replenished. Portrayed in popular media, some Hong Kong chefs allegedly use the same superior broth that is preserved for decades. This stock can as well be seen on Chaozhou TV's cooking programmes.
There is a notable feast in Chaoshan cuisine called ' (). A myriad of dishes are often served, which include shark fin soup
Shark fin soup is a traditional soup or stewed dish served in parts of China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. The shark fins provide texture, while the taste comes from the other soup ingredients. It is commonly served at special occasions such as ...
, bird's nest soup
Edible bird's nests are bird nests created by edible-nest swiftlets, Indian swiftlets, and other swiftlets using solidified saliva, which are harvested for human consumption. They are particularly prized in Chinese culture due to their rarity ...
, lobster, steamed fish, roasted suckling pig and braised goose.
Chaoshan chefs take pride in their skills of vegetable carving, and carved vegetables are used as garnishes on cold dishes and on the banquet table.
Chaoshan cuisine is also known for a late night meal known as ''meh siao'' () or '' daa laang'' () among the Cantonese. Chaoshan people enjoy eating out close to midnight in restaurants or at roadside food stalls. Some dai pai dong-like eateries stay open till dawn.
Unlike the typical menu selections of many other Chinese cuisines, Chaoshan restaurant menus often have a dessert
Dessert is a course (food), course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Greece and West Africa, and ...
section.
Many people of Chaoshan origin, also known as Teochiu or Chaoshan people, have settled in Hong Kong and places in Southeast Asia like Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
and Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. Influences they bring can be noted in Singaporean cuisine
Singaporean cuisine is derived from several ethnic groups in Singapore and has developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes in the cosmopolitan city-state.
Influences include the cuisines of the Malays, the Chinese ...
and that of other settlements. A large number of Chaoshan people have also settled in Taiwan, evident in Taiwanese cuisine
Taiwanese cuisine (, Bopomofo:ㄊㄞˊㄨㄢˉㄌㄧㄠˋㄌㄧˇ, or , Bopomofo:ㄊㄞˊㄨㄢˉㄘㄞˋ) has several variations. The earliest known cuisines of Taiwan are that of the Taiwanese indigenous peoples. Over hundred years of histor ...
. Other notable Chaoshan diaspora communities are in Vietnam, Cambodia and France. A popular noodle soup in both Vietnam and Cambodia, known as hu tieu
HU or Hu may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Hu Sanniang, a fictional character in the ''Water Margin'', one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature
* Tian Hu, one of the antagonists in the ''Water Margin''
* Hollywood Und ...
, originated from the Chaoshan. There is also a large diaspora of Chaoshan people (most were from Southeast Asia) in the United States - particularly in California. There is a Teochew Chinese Association in Paris called L'Amicale des Teochews en France.
Notable dishes
Gallery
File:HK Wan Chai 春園街 Spring Garden Lane night Chiu Chow food shop window.jpg, "Flavor potted" goose ()
File:Teochew Sweet Yam Paste - After Stirring.jpg, Taro paste ()
File:Shui jing bao zz.JPG, Crystal balls ()
File:Teochew pomfret.jpg, Steamed fish ()
File:Oyster omelette.jpg, Oyster omelette
200px, Taiwanese style Oyster omelette
The oyster omelette, as known as o-a-tsian (), o-chien () or orh luak (; Peng'im: ''o5 luah4'') is a dish of Banlamese (both Hokkien and Teochew) origin that is renowned for its savory flavor in its native ...
()
File:Khanom kuichai.jpg, Fried chive dumplings ()
File:Song dynasty's 'patriotic soup' (prepared in Clovis California) 宋朝的“護國菜”(在加利福尼亞克洛維斯市製備)。.jpg, Patriotic Soup (Protect the Country Dish ())
File:Fried Tofu (炸豆腐).jpg, A dish of fried tofu () with dipping sauce.
File:Teochew rice noodle soup (潮州粿條).jpg, Teochew rice noodle soup ().
File:Sautéed Prawns with Olive Vegetables (欖菜焗蝦).jpg, Sautéed Prawns with Olive Vegetables () .
File:Teochew Hotpot (prepared in Clovis California) 潮州火鍋(在加利福尼亞克洛維斯市製備).jpg, Teochew Hotpot ()
See also
*List of Chinese dishes
This is a list of Chinese dishes in Chinese cuisine.
Dishes by ingredient
Grain-based dishes
Noodles
Rice
Pork-based dishes
Poultry-based dishes
Vegetable-based dishes
Dishes by cooking method
Dumplings
Pastry
Soups, stews an ...
* Teochew porridge
*Teochew people
The Teochew people or Chaoshan people (rendered Têo-Swa in romanized Teoswa and Chaoshan in Standard Chinese also known as Teo-Swa in mainland China due to a change in place names) is anyone native to the historical Chaoshan region in south ...
References
External links
Yeo's Teochew Popiah Recipe
Jenius' Teochew peach shaped kueh Recipe
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teochew Cuisine
Chaozhou
Regional cuisines of China