Jiangxi cuisine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jiangxi cuisine
Map of Jiangxi Province
Chinese	江西菜
Traditional Chinese	贛菜
Simplified Chinese	赣菜
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin [gàncài]

Jiangxi cuisine (Chinese: 江西菜; pinyin: Jiāngxī cài), also known as Gan cuisine (simplified Chinese: 赣菜; traditional Chinese: 贛菜; pinyin: gàncài), is a style of Chinese food. It comes from the Jiangxi province in southern China. This cooking style has a special taste. People describe it as having a strong, natural flavor. It uses a good amount of oil but doesn't feel greasy. Jiangxi dishes are also known for being spicy, salty, and savory.

Many families in Jiangxi enjoy this food. Most famous dishes are simple and use local ingredients. Jiangxi cuisine is not one of the modern Eight Great Cuisines of China. This is because its spicy style is quite similar to food from Hunan and Sichuan cuisine.

History of Jiangxi Cuisine

A long time ago, the Jiangxi area was home to the ancestors of the Miao people. Later, many people moved to Jiangxi. They came from different parts of China. Often, they were looking for new homes after conflicts. These new settlers included officials and their chefs.

As people moved, they brought their own cooking styles. Different food traditions mixed together. Over time, these styles combined and improved. This led to the creation of Jiangxi cuisine. Because of this, many people see Jiangxi cuisine as a mix of other cooking traditions.

Main Types of Jiangxi Cuisine

The taste of Jiangxi dishes can be a little different in various cities. Jiangxi cuisine has four main types. These are based on their regions: Nanchang, Ganzhou, Jiujiang, and Gandong. Each type has its own cooking style and famous dishes.

• Nanchang Style mainly uses simmering and stir-frying.
  • Famous dishes include 'fried bacon with artemisia quinoa'.
  • Another popular dish is "soup cooked with pottery jar."
  • Spicy stir-fried Jiangxi rice noodles are also well-known.

Map of Nanchang in Jiangxi Province

• Ganzhou Style often features steamed meat with rice flour. It also uses low-heat frying.
  • A famous dish is 'Steamed pork with rice flour'.
  • 'Gannan fried fish' is another popular choice.

Map of Ganzhou in Jiangxi Province

• Jiujiang Style focuses on stewing. It uses a lot of fish.
  • A famous dish is 'Poyang Lake fat fish head with red pepper'.

Map of Jiujiang in Jiangxi Province

• Gandong Style often smokes or dries meat and food in the sun before cooking.
  • 'Pingxiang smoked meat' is a famous dish.
  • 'Jinggang stir-fried smoked bamboo' is also very popular.

Map of Gandong in Jiangxi Province

What Makes Jiangxi Cuisine Special?

• Spiciness: Like its neighbors, Jiangxi cuisine loves spicy flavors. In many parts of Jiangxi, chili peppers are used like vegetables. They are not just for adding a little flavor.
• No Cold Dishes: You will rarely find cold or raw dishes in Jiangxi cuisine. This is different from many other Chinese food styles.
• Fish Dishes: Jiangxi cuisine is famous for its freshwater fish meals. This is because Jiangxi province has many freshwater areas.
• Black Beans and Tofu: This cuisine often uses douchi (fermented black beans) and tofu (beancurd). Fried tofu is often eaten during Chinese New Year celebrations.
• Tea Oil: Jiangxi cuisine uses tea oil as its main cooking oil. Tea oil can cause stomach problems if eaten raw. This is why cold or raw dishes are not served. Jiangxi cuisine uses tea oil almost all the time. Other Chinese cuisines might use tea oil, but they also use many other oils.

How Jiangxi Cuisine is Different from Hunan and Sichuan Food

Jiangxi, Hunan, and Sichuan cuisines are all known for being spicy. However, each has its own cooking style. They also use different things to make food spicy. Jiangxi cuisine tries to keep the 'original flavor' of the food. It uses spice to make that natural taste even better. Some Jiangxi dishes also use meat soups to improve the flavor.

Famous Dishes in Jiangxi Cuisine

English Name	Image	Chinese Name	Pinyin	Notes
Ningdu Spicy Sanbeiji		宁都三杯鸡	Níngdōusānbēijī	There is also a Taiwan-style Sanbeiji. It is not spicy and uses sugar. The Jiangxi version is stir-fried, while the Taiwan version is stewed.
Steamed pork with rice flour		粉蒸肉	Fěnzhēngròu	In Jiangxi, people also steam other meats with rice flour. This includes beef, chicken, and fish.
Soup cooked with pottery jar (right) Nanchang stir-fry rice-noodle (left)		瓦罐煨(左） 南昌炒米粉（右）	Wǎ guàn wēi (zuǒ) Nánchāng chǎo mǐfěn (yòu)	This is a common meal combination. People in Nanchang, Jiangxi, often eat these two dishes together.
Poyang Lake fat fish head with red pepper		鄱湖胖鱼头	Pó hú pàng yú tóu	The type of fish head used is different from what is used in Sichuan cuisine.

In 2021, the Department of Commerce of Jiangxi Province held a competition. They wanted to find the "Top Ten Jiangxi Cuisine Dishes" and "Top Ten Jiangxi Cuisine Snacks." This was to help promote Jiangxi cuisine. The winning dishes included Ningdu Sanbei chicken and lotus blood duck. The top snacks included soup cooked with pottery jar and Nanchang stir-fry rice noodles.

There are no recent records of how many dishes Jiangxi cuisine has. However, a book from 1993 called 赣菜 listed 209 dishes. The main goal of Jiangxi cuisine is to keep the food's original taste. It uses different cooking styles to make the best flavor. Most ingredients used in Jiangxi cuisine come from local areas. People in Jiangxi are good at using the freshest local foods. They believe fresh ingredients are key to a delicious dish. This rich supply of local products has helped Jiangxi cuisine grow and develop.