Jiangsu cuisine facts for kids

Map showing major regional cuisines of China

Jiangsu cuisine (simplified Chinese: 苏菜; traditional Chinese: 蘇菜; pinyin: Sū cài), also known as Su cuisine, is one of the Eight Great Culinary Traditions of Chinese cuisine. It comes from the cooking styles of Jiangsu Province in eastern China. Jiangsu cuisine is known for its soft texture, but the food still holds its shape. It also focuses on the perfect cooking temperature. For example, meat is very tender but stays on the bone when you pick it up.

Since Jiangsu Province is close to the sea and many rivers, fish is a very common ingredient. Chefs choose ingredients carefully based on the season. They also pay attention to how the dishes look, making sure the colors and shapes are appealing. Using soup to add flavor is another key part of this cuisine. The city of Shanghai used to be part of Jiangsu, so its food is quite similar. Sometimes, Shanghai cuisine is even considered a part of Jiangsu cuisine.

Exploring Jiangsu Cuisine: Main Styles

Jiangsu cuisine is often called Su cuisine. One of its most famous styles is Huaiyang cuisine. Even though Huaiyang cuisine is just one part of Jiangsu cuisine, many people in China think it's the most important and popular style. It's even considered one of the four most influential regional schools of Chinese cooking, along with Cantonese cuisine, Shandong cuisine, and Sichuan cuisine.

Jiangsu cuisine actually has several other unique styles:

• Nanjing style: Dishes from Nanjing focus on a balanced taste and matching colors. They often use river fish, shrimp, and duck.
• Suzhou style: This style emphasizes choosing the best ingredients. It has a stronger taste than Nanjing style and is often sweeter than other Jiangsu dishes.
• Wuxi style: Wuxi is near Lake Tai, so it's famous for many fresh water foods. These include the "Three Whites": white bait (simplified Chinese: 银鱼; traditional Chinese: 銀魚; pinyin: yín yú), white fish (simplified Chinese: 白鱼; traditional Chinese: 白魚; pinyin: bái yú), and white shrimp (simplified Chinese: 白虾; traditional Chinese: 白蝦; pinyin: bái xiā).
• Nantong style: Nantong is located where the Hao River, the Yangtze River, and the Yellow Sea meet. Because of this, its dishes highlight the fresh taste of various seafood.

Wuxi-Style Cooking: Sweet and Savory Flavors

In Wuxi, a common cooking method is adding sugar and soy sauce to many savory dishes. This is often done in a style called hongshao (simplified Chinese: 红烧; traditional Chinese: 紅燒; pinyin: hóngshāo; literally "red braised"). This cooking method creates a delicious, caramel-like flavor. Wuxi cuisine often has sweeter versions of dishes found in nearby areas.

Popular Wuxi Dishes to Try

Here are some well-known dishes from Wuxi: