Cooking from China's Fujian Province

Book excerpt: Though Fujian, a south-eastern province of China, is home to one of China's best cuisines, it is barely known outside of China. This landmark volume gives us the province's savoury fish and meat dishes, wonderful teas, soups, stews, congees, noodles, and fire pots. With roots in early Mill food culture, Fujianese food benefits from the abundance of products found on the local mountains, flatlands and extensive coastline. Rice, wheat, and sweet potatoes are staples of the Fujianese cuisine. Fish and meat are often mixed to great effect, incorporating both sweet and pungent flavours. Two or more broths or soups served with these mixed dishes complete such fine repasts. Buddha Jumping the Wall is a typical dish, combining a myriad of ingredients from both the mountains and the sea: shark's fin, abalone, scallops, ham, chicken, mushrooms, yams, medlar, scallions, and garlic, to name hut a few. Crossing Bridge Noodles and Braised Meat in Wine Sauce are also great favourites, and dishes such as New Year Money Bags and Steamed Sea Cucumber Pockets are equally popular. With 200 recipes, photographs, cultural and historical backgrounds, and twenty menus for everyday meals and holiday banquets, this is a truly comprehensive volume for gourmands, anthropologists and foodies.