Jianghuai Cuisine

Jianghuai(江淮) cuisine or Huaiyang cuisine(淮揚菜) is the cuisine from a region of eastern China between the lower Yangtze River and Huai River, mainly in Jiangsu Province and nearby areas. Jianghuai cuisine can almost be considered synonymous with Jiangsu cuisine or a subset of Jiangsu cuisine since it aligns with most of Jiangsu province and may include part of eastern Hubei province.

The cities Huai’an(淮安) and Yangzhou(揚州) are cultural centers and inspired the term Huaiyang(淮揚). The former imperial capital Nanjing(南京) is perhaps the most significant cultural center. It was the ruling city of China as late as the Ming dynasty, about 1368 to 1644. Zhenjiang(鎮江) is also an important city famous for its vinegar production.

Jianghuai cuisine has strong connections to Wu cuisine as well as Zhongyuan cuisine and Lu cuisine. In fact, ancient records of Nanjing indicate Wu(吳語) was the primary language of the region before settlers, mainly from the central plains and Shandong regions of China, brought Mandarin to the region, which developed into a divergent dialect of Mandarin called Jianghuai Mandarin(江淮官話) or Lower Yangtze Mandarin(下江官話).

Ingredients

Archeological evidence points to the origin of rice in or near the lower Yangtze region. Rice is still an important crop in the region. Chinkiang vinegar(鎭江香醋) is a black vinegar made from glutinous rice; it originated in Zhenjiang(鎭江, formerly romanized as Chinkiang) hundreds of years ago.

Wheat is also used, featuring in dumplings and other dishes.

Tofu(豆腐) has ancient origins in present-day Anhui Province; Huainan(淮南) is considered the birthplace of tofu. Tofu is made traditionally with gypsum powder(石膏) as a coagulant, resulting in soft or silken tofu.

Huai shan yao(淮山藥), a type of yam, grows in the region. It is similar to shan yao(山藥), or chinese yam, in appearance, but it tends to have higher water content. It has traditional medicinal uses.

Yu choy, or you cai(油菜), is a common vegetable.

Shiitake(香菇) is commonly used.

Swamp eel(黃鱔) and reeves shad(鰣魚) are used. Chicken, duck, and pork are popular meats.

Dishes

• steamed rice(白飯)
• zong(粽子): rice wrapped with reed leaf and boiled or steamed
• soup dumpling(湯包)
• shiitake you cai(香菇油菜): you cai cooked with shiitake
• da zhu gan si(大煮乾絲): chicken soup with dried tofu strips, pork kidney, and bamboo shoots
• steamed reeves shad(清蒸鰣魚)
• ruan dou long fish(軟兜長魚): braised swamp eel
• yan shui chicken(鹽水鴨)
• lion head meatball(獅子頭)