Jiangsu Cuisine Characteristics

Jiangsu Province (江苏 jiang1 su1) is located in the east coast of China. Jiangsu shares its geographical borders with Shandong, Anhui, Zhejiang and Shanghai provinces.

Capital: Nanjing

Other major cities: Changzhou, Huai'an, Lianyungang, Nantong,
Suqian, Suzhou, Taizhou, Wuxi, Xuzhou, Yancheng, Yangzhou Zhenjiang.

Geographical conditions:

Vast coastal line, numerous lakes; rains in spring, summer and autumn.

Main styles within Jiangsu cuisine (江苏菜 jiang1 su1 cai4 or 苏菜 su1 cai4):

• Nanjing
• Yangzhou
• Suzhou

Local popular ingredients:

• Ginger and onion essence
• Crab meat
• Pork with square cuts
• Adding mix of bamboo shoots, jam and ginger to fired and simmered dishes
• Dumping of ingredients like fish and meat for long hours in a liquor before stewing.
• Plenty of eel and mandarin fish

Popular cooking methods:

• Stewing, stir-frying and steaming

Cooking focus on:

• Selection of ingredients
• Soft textures
• Following the natural seasons and changing menus accordingly