SHANGHAI IS NOT an ancient major city. It wasn’t until the opening of
its treaty port in 1842 that the former fishing village really became a
prosperous industrial center and trading hub with worldwide renown. With
the city’s economic takeoff, the culinary culture also boomed, echoing
Shanghai’s refined and sophisticated urban life. Today, the city is
filled with so much good food that pretty much the only place an eater
will be disappointed is the Shanghai airport.To get more news about
shanghai special dishes, you can visit shine news official website.
Today, people often think of soup dumplings when they think of Shanghai
food. But the city’s vibrant food scene has a lot more to offer, from
breakfast street foods, to delicate Shanghai snacks, to Western-inspired
soups. Below are five iconic Shanghai dishes locals love.
1. Hong shao
Hong shao, or “red cooking,” is a cooking style that entails cooking a
protein in a soy-based sauce with a touch of rice wine and rock sugar to
give the dish a shiny glaze, rich aroma, and balanced taste. Like red
sauce to Italian food, hong shao is essential to Shanghai cuisine, and
local chefs never seem to agree on a “best” hong shao recipe.
Pork is most common in hong shao dishes, which is called hong shao rou,
as well as hong shao pai gu, which is made with pork ribs. The red
braised pork belly is slow cooked with spices to make a delectable dish,
but home cooks also love to “red cook” other local delicacies and vary
the use of spices and herbs accordingly. Jiyu, a delicate freshwater
fish, is braised with the whole stems of scallions to bolden the taste.
And beltfish freshly caught from the sea is cooked with a hearty amount
of ginger to balance the piquant flavor. Another favorite is kaofu, or
wheat gluten, braised with assorted mushrooms, which makes an appetizing
starter in family banquets.
2. Yan du Xian
Yan du Xian is an iconic Shanghai soup. To make it, dry-aged ham and
succulent fresh pork are simmered for hours on very low heat until the
umami flavor is fully released, the pork fat emulsified, and the meat
meltingly tender. Added to the broth are crispy bamboo shoots. The end
result is a soup loaded with umami.
3. Chinese mitten crabs, or hairy crabs
Hairy crabs are native to the intertwined river network around Shanghai.
Every year in late fall, when the crabs are at their most delectable,
the city falls into a crab craze. The crustaceans are everywhere in
farmer’s markets, and locals are more than willing to pay a hefty price
for the fattest ones. For centuries, they’ve been not only a favorite
hors d’oeuvre in aristocrats’ literary salons but also a treasured
delicacy on family dinner tables.
4. Shengjian
Unlike its famous cousin the soup dumpling, which requires elaborate
preparation, the humble shengjian is more grassroots but equally
satisfying. Meat and gelatine are mixed with minced scallion and wrapped
in a semi-leavened dough. The buns are tightly gathered in a flat
cast-iron pan and pan-fried until golden brown. This gives shengjian a
complex texture. The first bite breaks into the crunchy exterior, which
leads to the steaming puffy wrap, which leads to the juicy meat inside.
5. Luo song tang, or Russian soup
Shanghai saw a steady influx of foreign settlers with the expansion of
international trade in the 19th century. Many opened restaurants serving
food from their home countries, which were frequented by both expats
and local high society. Over time, their food collectively evolved into a
cuisine called haipai, which refers to food with Western origin that’s
been adapted to Shanghainese tastes and ingredients.
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