Manchu cuisine facts for kids

Manchu cuisine is the traditional food from a region called Manchuria. This area is now mostly in Northeast China. Manchu food uses common ingredients like millet, soybeans, peas, corn, and a grain called sorghum. Because of very cold winters and hot summers, people in Manchuria learned to preserve their food. They often use pickling to keep food fresh for a long time. Manchu cooking is also known for grilling, using wild meats, strong flavors, and lots of soy sauce. It uses more wheat than many other Chinese cooking styles.

A Look Back in Time

The people who came before the Manchus were called the Jurchen and Mohe. The Mohe loved eating pork and raised many pigs. They mostly stayed in one place and used pig and dog skins for warm coats. These early people were mainly farmers. They grew soybeans, wheat, millet, and rice. They also went hunting for food.

Later, the Jurchens, who were ancestors of the Manchus, began to respect dogs. This tradition was passed down to the Manchus. In Jurchen culture, it was against their rules to use dog skin. They also believed it was wrong to hurt, kill, or eat dogs. This was one way they were different from the Koreans, who sometimes ate dog meat.

The Grand Imperial Feast

One very special meal in Manchu history was the Manchu–Han Imperial Feast. This huge banquet brought together the best dishes from many cultures. It included food from the Manchus, Han Chinese, Mongols, Hui people, and Tibetans.

This amazing feast had 108 different dishes. Half of them were from northern China, and half were from southern China. People would eat this feast over three days! Manchu palace banquets had different levels of fanciness. The highest levels were for important events like honoring ancestors. Other levels were for special holidays like the Chinese New Year. The simpler meals were for everyday occasions.

Yummy Manchu Dishes

Many typical Manchu dishes include pickled vegetables. A traditional dish is Manchurian hot pot. It is made with pickled Chinese cabbage, pork, and mutton. It is a warm and hearty meal.

Bairou xuechang is a soup. It has pork and a special kind of blood sausage. It also includes pickled Chinese cabbage.

Suziyie doubao is a steamed bun. It is filled with sweet, mashed beans. The bun is wrapped in perilla leaves before it is steamed.

Sachima is a sweet treat. It is a candied fritter, which is like a fried dough pastry covered in syrup. It is a very popular dessert.

Other common Manchu dishes are:

• suancai cuan bairou: This dish has sour vegetables mixed with boiled meat.
• suan tangzi: This is a sour soup made with fermented corn flour.
• di san xian: This dish is made by stir-frying eggplant, potato, and green pepper together.
• Manchu sausage: A special type of sausage from the region.
• ludagun: This is a steamed roll made from bean flour.
• niushe bing: This is a type of cake.

Manchurian Dishes in India

You might have heard of "Manchurian" food in Indian Chinese restaurants. This style of cooking is very popular in India. It usually involves deep-frying an ingredient first. Then it is cooked in a spicy sauce. However, this "Manchurian" style was actually created in India. It is very different from traditional Manchu cooking. Manchow soup is also an Indian creation.