Dining in Fuzhou


Fuzhou is famous across China for its local cuisine, characterized by light but flavorful dishes, with an effort to retain the original flavors of the ingredients instead of masking them. An emphasis is put on umami, a savory taste often found in seafood, which is one of the staples in Fuzhou cuisine. Next to upscale restaurants serving seafood delicacies, there is a vibrant tradition of street food vendors in Fuzhou, with night markets around every corner offering different varieties of snacks. Many Chinese food enthusiasts come here just to taste the different locally made specialties.

Oyster Omelet (蚵仔煎, Ke Zai Jian)

The oyster omelet is widely known for its savory taste. The dish consists of an omelette with a filling commonly made of small oysters, eggs and scallions, and a sauce poured on top of the omelet for added taste.

Drunken chicken 
Drunken Chicken is a traditional dish in eastern Fujian's Fuzhou city. It is made from braised chicken with red yeast rice and wine. With a lustrous reddish colour, the chicken tastes tender, and the wine gives it a rich mellowness.

Kompyang (光饼, Guang Bing)
Kompyang is a bread product originating from Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province and is made with lard, onions, salt and flour. This food was named after Qi Jiguang, a military general and national hero during the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644). Legend had it that when Qi Jiguang led his troops into Fujian against Japanese pirates, he noticed that the smoke rising up to the sky when the soldiers prepared meals could always indicate their location and incur the enemies. However, those pirates were not confused by the same problem as they brought onigiri with them. So Qi invented a kind of bread with a hole in the center so that they could be strung together to be conveniently carried along. Later, to commemorate Qi Jiguang's victory against the pirate raiders, the bread was named Guang Bing.

Fish balls
These might be the most iconic staple of Fuzhou cuisine. They are made from fish with a minced pork filling and can be found in all restaurants that serve local specialties. They are also often enjoyed as a simple, small snack in a street food setting.
Litchi Pork (Lychee pork)
This traditional dish consists of small, round pieces of pork and sliced water chestnut, served in a sweet and sour sauce. In typical Fujian style, red wine lees are used to give it its red-to-orange color and add flavor. The shape and color of the end product resembles lychee skins, hence the name. There is a legend attached to the dish: One of the consorts of a Tang Dynasty emperor came from faraway Fujian and was often homesick, and only the lychees of her hometown could soothe her. Therefore, the imperial cook came up with a way of cooking meat so that it resembled these lychees, afterwards becoming a delicacy in the palace. The chef later fled to Fujian after a rebellion, popularizing it there.

Buddha Jumps over the Wall
Buddha Jumps over the Wall  is one of the most typical cuisines in Fujian. It is made of 18 pricey ingredients, including shark fish, abalone, sea cucumber, ginseng and scallops. All these are simmered together for long hours over slow fire, ensuring the essence has been extracted. A legend tells that a Buddhist monk found the smell of the dish so irresistible that he jumped over the wall to ask for a share, and that is why the dish gets such a special name.

A poet friend of the traveler therefore gave it the name "Buddha jumps over the wall", claiming that even Buddha himself would jump over the wall to eat this delicious dish.



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