Fujian of China, a province surrounded by mountains and the sea, is not only picturesque but also has countless delicacies hidden in it. Today, let’s take a trip to Fujian to see how many of these mouth-watering snacks you’ve tried.
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Fuzhou Fish Balls (福州魚丸)
When it comes to Fujian snacks, how can we not mention Fuzhou Fish Balls? These are not just ordinary meatballs, they are made by chopping fresh fish meat, adding starch and mixing well. Fish balls are thin-skinned and stuffed, and when you take a bite, the delicious fish juice instantly bursts in your mouth, and the taste is simply unforgettable! Moreover, the production process of Fuzhou Fish Balls has been selected into the list of intangible cultural heritage of Fuzhou City, which shows its extraordinary status.
Xiamen Shacha Noodles (厦门沙茶面)
Come to Xiamen, if you do not eat a bowl of authentic sand tea noodles, it is simply in vain! Shacha noodles are famous for its unique sauce – Shacha sauce. This sauce is made from chilli, garlic, peppercorns and other seasonings, and has a rich, unctuous flavour that makes it a perfect match for noodles. The noodles are topped with rich ingredients such as prawns, squid and tofu, which warms up the whole body in one bowl.
Quanzhou meat dumplings (泉州肉粽)
Quanzhou’s meat dumplings are famously delicious. Unlike ordinary rice dumplings, Quanzhou meat dumplings are filled with a variety of ingredients, including mushrooms, black oysters and lotus seeds, in addition to glutinous rice and pork. The dumplings are tightly wrapped and opened to reveal an attractive colour and aroma. When you take a bite, the softness of the glutinous rice and the freshness of the pork are intertwined.
Putian braised noodles (莆田卤面)
Putian noodles are an unforgettable delicacy. The noodles are made of special ramen, which is smooth and chewy. The marinade, on the other hand, is made from pork bones, seafood and other ingredients, and has a mellow and delicious flavour. The most attractive are the toppings: shrimp, razor clams, clams …… each of which is fresh seafood that blends perfectly with the marinade and noodles, so that when you take a bite, it’s as if the whole ocean is churning in your mouth.
Zhangzhou hotpot paste (漳州锅边糊)
Zhangzhou hotpot paste is the local people’s favourite breakfast. This snack is made of rice ground into rice paste, poured along the edge of the pot in a circle, forming a thin layer of rice skin. When the rice skin is cooked, it is cut into small pieces and cooked with shrimps, clams, lean meat and other ingredients and seasonings to make a soup.
Longyan peanuts (龙岩花生)
Longyan peanuts, but one of the speciality snacks in Fujian. This kind of peanut is full of particles, thin skin and thick flesh, and tastes crispy and delicious, so people can’t stop. The uniqueness of Longyan peanuts lies in its production process, after a number of procedures of careful treatment, which makes the peanuts have such a delicious taste.
Sanming noodles (三明拌面)
Sanming Noodle Soup, looks simple but hides a great deal of knowledge. The noodles are made of special alkaline water noodles, which have a strong and chewy texture. The sauce for the noodles is made from peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and other seasonings, making it rich in flavour and unique. When you take a bite, the smoothness of the noodles and the mellowness of the sauce are intertwined in your mouth, making it a memorable experience.
Nanping pancakes (南平煎饼)
Nanping pancakes are a speciality of the Nanping region of Fujian. This pancake has a thin skin with a lot of filling, crispy outside and tender inside, and when you bite into it, the crispy skin and the tasty filling are intertwined in your mouth, which makes you want to stop. The choice of fillings is also very rich, with a variety of flavours such as bean paste, lotus seed paste and fresh meat to meet your different needs.
Ningde light cake (宁德光饼)
Ningde light cake is a traditional snack in Fujian. This snack has a long history and unique production process. Light cake has a crispy outer skin and a soft inner lining, and when you take a bite of it, the aroma of wheat is overflowing, which makes you savour the taste of it. Moreover, light cake is also very suitable for consumption with tea, a mouthful of light cake and a mouthful of tea, a cosy life begins.
It is said that Ningde light cake originated in the Ming Dynasty, when it was invented to facilitate soldiers to carry dry food. Later, after continuous improvement and inheritance, it gradually evolved into the delicious flavour we taste today.
Fujian Qianlixiang Wonton (福建千里香馄饨)
Fujian Qianlixiang wontons are famous for their unique texture and delicious flavour. The skin of the wontons is as thin as paper, and the filling is made of fresh pork and shrimp, which is juicy and tender. The soup base, on the other hand, is made from a variety of ingredients such as pork bones and chicken frames, resulting in a mellow and tasty flavour. Having a bite of wontons and a sip of soup is simply a pleasure.
There is also a beautiful legend about the origin of the name of Thousand Miles Wontons. According to the legend, a scholar who ate this kind of wonton got the top grade in the exam, so he named this kind of wonton ‘Thousand Miles of Fragrance’, which implies that eating it will make you famous and successful.
There is much more to Fujian than these snacks, and each one has a rich history and cultural connotation behind it. Hope this article can give you a better understanding of Fujian’s food, and I look forward to seeing you in the future to taste these delicious snacks!
