What cuisine does Jiangxi cuisine belong to

When talking about Jiangxi, everyone should often think of the origin of the Red Army's Long March during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. In fact, the Jiangxi region also has its own cuisine, which is Jiangxi cuisine. Jiangxi cuisine is a type of cuisine made according to the taste of the Jiangxi people. Moreover, it has a very long history, which has great similarities with the development history of other cuisines. So what kind of cuisine does Jiangxi cuisine belong to?

Definition of Gan cuisine

Gan cuisine (also known as Jiangxi cuisine) has a long history. It is a "hometown cuisine" with a strong local flavor that was developed on the basis of inheriting the "literati cuisine" of successive dynasties. The main flavor characteristics of Gan cuisine are: original flavor, thick but not greasy, strong taste, salty, fresh and spicy.

The above definition of Gan cuisine was first given by Jiangxi tourism scholar Lv Jun in 1980 after an investigation. He wrote an article introducing Gan cuisine in the book "East China Tourism Guide" published by China Tourism Press in 1983, "Jiangxi Land and Resources" published by Jiangxi Science and Technology Press in 1990, and in a tourism magazine in 1980. Before making this definition, tourism scholar Mr. Lu Jun participated in two expert seminars held by relevant departments of the provincial government and widely solicited opinions from all parties. The above definition is summarized based on the opinions of experts from the provincial catering department and culinary masters.

Since then, the book "Gan Cuisine" edited by the Jiangxi Provincial Government and co-edited by the Jiangxi Recruitment Association (published by Jiangxi Science and Technology Press in 1993), and the "Handbook for Leading Cadres" edited by the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and printed in 2000, have all adopted the above definition. [1]

Characteristics of Gan cuisine

The characteristics of Gan cuisine are: rigorous cutting and selection of ingredients, mainly using local specialty ingredients, and fine craftsmanship. The cuisine pays great attention to the use of fire, and is skilled in roasting, steaming, frying, stewing, and braising, among which steaming with rice flour is the best. The dishes are prepared with emphasis on their original flavour, thick but not greasy texture, such as how crispy or tender they are; the taste is salty, spicy and mild, with a wide range of appeal; and they have a strong local flavour.

Note: Original flavors, such as winter bamboo shoots, fragrant bamboo shoots, bamboo shoots, magnolia slices, chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, and black fungus produced in Jiangxi, are all characteristic ingredients of Gan cuisine. Salty, spicy and moderate means the taste is moderate: not too salty, not too spicy. (Based on two symposiums held in 1980 and extensive investigation) [1]

Gan cuisine style

Gan cuisine is mainly composed of local schools such as Nanchang, Ganzhou, Jiujiang, western Gan, and eastern Gan.

Generally speaking, Nanchang's Gan cuisine is characterized by roasting, braising, stewing and stir-frying, such as "Fried Bacon with Artemisia selengensis", "Xin Ya Four Treasures" and "Stewed in a Clay Pot".

The Ganzhou cuisine is characterized by steamed dishes and stir-fried dishes, such as "Four Stars Looking at the Moon" and "Stir-fried Fish in Southern Jiangxi".

The local Gan cuisine of Jiujiang is characterized by stewing, steaming and fish feasts, such as "Lushan Stone Chicken" and "Pohu Fat Fish Head".

The Gan cuisine style in western Jiangxi is characterized by smoking and curing, such as "Pingxiang smoked meat" and "Jinggang smoked bamboo shoots".

The Gan cuisine style in eastern Jiangxi is characterized by spicy stir-fry, such as "Yugan Chili Fried Pork" and "Tian Dun Fried Beef". [1]

History of Gan Cuisine

Gan cuisine is the "literati cuisine" of Jiangxi throughout the dynasties. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, Jiangxi's "literati cuisine" has become more popular. For example, "Wenshan (Wen Tianxiang) diced pork", "Dongpo (Su Dongpo) pork", "Cousin chicken soup" (named by Zhu Yuanzhang), "Four Stars Looking at the Moon" (named by Mao Zedong), etc., all serve as annotations for Jiangxi's "literati cuisine".

Jiangxi cuisine has a long history. As early as the Han and Jin Dynasties, Jiangxi's commercial and tourism activities were relatively prosperous. The Han Dynasty's "Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Merchants" once described Yuzhang (Nanchang) and other places as follows: "Rice and fish soup, or slash-and-burn farming and water weeding, with fruits, nuts, crabs and clams, and enough to eat without having to trade." In the "Yu Zhang Ji" written by Lei Cizon of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the economic exchange situation in Jiangxi at that time was described as "the area is thousands of miles long, with waterways connecting to all directions", "the fine rice is delicious and sold to all directions, and the gold, iron, and plowshares are used to supply all over the country". "Rice and fish soup", "The fine rice is delicious and is served in all directions", etc., describe the popular food culture in Jiangxi at that time. In the Ming Dynasty, Yuan Mei also recorded Jiangxi's famous dish "steamed pork with rice flour" in his "Suiyuan Food List".