Shanghai Chinese Restaurant

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From the bustling shores of Hangzhou to the mountain villages of Chengdu, one can expect to find a countless number of both obvious and subtle contrasts within the great body of land that is China. Although one nation, China is divided into a number of provinces that have their very own characteristics; one might say their very own cultures. These cultures vary from place to place, making the variations in dialect, manner, customs and preferences clearly noticeable to one who has lived there long enough. And yet of all the things that define a Chinaman or woman in the country, the preference of cuisine is one of the most distinctive.

Like in any other culture, food plays a major role in the Chinese society. Chinese food is not only discerned from the rest by its value as a medicine for the body and the soul, but also for its adaptability, and this characteristic is showcased no better than it is in Shanghainese Cuisine.

Shanghai is a relatively new city in China and therefore does not exactly have a specific type of cuisine to all its own. Instead, the people of Shanghai collected culinary experiences and recipes from surrounding areas such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang, two cities along the coasts. Through the assimilation of all the methods of what they found around them, the Shanghainese effectively came up with their very own unique style of cooking. From then on they have continued to make a range of epicurean delights that have left the taste buds of millions tingling with their unforgettable flavour.

Several dishes from Shanghai are distinctive due to the ingredients and processes used. For example, Shanghainese food often takes longer to prepare than traditional Beijing cuisine and makes use of more chilies, sesame oil and vinegar. The use of alcohol is also common, as meat and other dishes are said to be drunken for long periods in the liquid. Shanghai is also renowned for its use of sugar in its dishes, and this is commonly added in combination with coy sauce to create the sweet and sour effect that is known so well.

As Shanghai is a coastal city, one can guess that seafood plays a large role in several main dishes in the area. One of the most famous dishes is Shanghai hairy crab; the crab is taken from freshwater sources near the Yangtze delta and cooked using local ingredients. Another well-known dish is Beggars Chicken, which originated from Beijing but was enthusiastically adopted by the Shanghainese. Meat is often cooked in spices for long periods of time in order for them to soak up the spices and become soft and tender. Starchy foods come in the form of noodles developed over time in the area, as well as stinky tofu, dumplings and dim sum.

Some other characteristic traits about the Shanghainese and their food as Shanghai is not as old as other populous cities in China, it has had the opportunity to pick up things from foreign menus; dessert, for example. Shanghainese portions are also smaller than those found elsewhere, and even individual food items are smaller than their outstation counterparts.