How is Cantonese cuisine different from Shanghainese? Chefs on flavor, technique and more
The image shows a Chinese restaurant kitchen from a street. gettyimagesbank
While there are many regional cuisines in China, the country boasts eight in particular. Known as the Eight Great Traditions, they highlight the diversity and richness of the country's culinary culture.
These eight cuisines are Sichuan, Hunan, Cantonese, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Shandong.
Not everyone is able to discern great variation between regional cuisines, but there are key differences. Take Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisines, for example, the latter of which forms part of Jiangsu cuisine.
Most fans of Chinese cuisine will know about things like dim sum, roast meat and xiaolongbao - dim sum and roast meats are Cantonese, while xiaolongbao or soup dumplings are Shanghainese - but what really sets the two cuisines apart?
It is the approach to seafood, says chef Wang Yong, executive Chinese chef of Jin Sha at the Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake.
In Shanghainese cooking, fresh abalone is preferred over the dried version, which is more commonly used in Cantonese cuisine.
"Dried abalone is too fragrant," Wang explains. "It will clash too much with our sauces."
Chef Adam Wong of the three-Michelin-starred Forum restaurant in Hong Kong says Shanghainese cuisine uses more condiments.
"Shanghainese cuisine has items that are rich in flavour. Their sauces pack more of a punch, like in Shanghainese braised pork," he says.
"Cantonese cuisine also deploys a lot of techniques. Even [when it comes to] stewing, there are different ways of achieving different textures and flavours."
Eric Ting, the chief operating officer of Jiangsu Club in Hong Kong, agrees.
"Shanghai cuisine emphasises complex seasoning, where the umami flavour comes from the reactions between sauces and sugar," he says. "The technique aims to alter the texture of ingredients, making them soft or tender, with the sauce as the main focus.
"Cantonese cuisine prioritises techniques that highlight fresh and original flavours, with the umami derived from the ingredients and the cooking method. The goal is to preserve the texture of the ingredients - such as crisp, tender or smooth - with the sauce serving as a supporting element or garnish."
A serving of Cantonese-style roasted duck or goose / gettyimagesbank
Another unmistakable trait of Cantonese cuisine is wok hei, commonly referred to as the "breath of the wok".
A key element of good wok cooking - scientifically referred to as the Maillard reaction - is when the proteins and sugars in food are transformed by heat, creating more complex flavours, aromas and colours.
"I really like how things are fragrantly stir-fried in Cantonese cuisine," says Wang. "I'm used to stewing things, and as long as it doesn't burn, then it's OK."
At a four-hands collaboration dinner with Wong and Wang at Jin Sha in April, both chefs showcased the strengths of their native cuisine.
On the menu was wok-fried Australian lobster in XO sauce, which showcased wok hei at its finest, as the lobster had a crisp outer layer but the tenderness of the shellfish was preserved.
Wang's river shrimp soup with preserved vegetables, spring bamboo and tomato drew inspiration from a traditional summer delicacy of Xiaoshan in Zhejiang.
Preserved mustard greens, a local speciality, were added for their distinctive aroma and to enrich the broth, which was made by simmering chicken and pork ribs for eight hours.
One dish that the chefs worked together on was sweet and sour pork, made with strawberries from Dandong - in northeastern China's Liaoning province - with Wong working on the frying and Wang using the Chinese strawberries to make the sauce.
Wang believes that dishes like this are the future of Chinese cuisine.
"I believe, with science and advanced logistics, the styles of different regional cuisines will only evolve," he says. "Chinese cuisine will keep developing."
Read the full story at SCMP.