Jilin cuisine is the regional cooking style of the Han Chinese with heavy influence from native Manchu, Korean, and Mongolian minorities in the Jilin Province of Northeastern China.

Characteristic features Due to short growing seasons and prolonged winters, fermentation is the main method of preserving food. Suan cai is very prominent in Jilin cuisine. The cold winters have also led to the development of regional styles of hot pot such as Fucha Manchu Hot Pot. The colder climate of Northern China is generally unsuited to growing rice, making wheat, buckwheat, and sorghum the primary sources of starch. The abundance of starch has given rise to the staple steamed buns and noodles dishes of the region. Jilin cuisine is unique among Chinese cuisine in its extensive consumption of raw seafood and vegetables.

Jilin cuisine is primarily characterized by influences from the three largest minorities of the province:

Manchu – boiled pork and blood sausages, cold vegetables Korean – fermented vegetables, cold noodles Mongolian – lamb dishes

The ethnic Han in Jilin cuisine draw influence from Beijing, Shandong, and even Western cuisine. The deep preference and influence of Shandong cuisine come from immigrants who left the province for Jilin during the Qing Dynasty.

Jilin cuisine shares similar dishes with neighboring Heilongjiang and Liaoning provinces being part of the Northeastern Chinese cuisine.

Notable dishes +EnglishChinesePinyinPictureNotesCold noodles冷面lěng miànCombination of Han and Korean styles made with sorghum noodles with either sweet/sour or salty flavors.Steamed white fish清蒸白鱼qīngzhēng bái yúA specific white fish called bái yú from the Songhua River.Ginseng chicken人参鸡rénshēn jīSmall chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, and red dates, boiled.Fried vermicelli煎粉jiān fěnBuckwheat noodles饸饹条hé le tiáoUla hot pot乌拉火锅wūlā huǒguōUla means river, referring to the Songhua River.Newly-butchered pig杀猪菜shā zhū càiA banquet where every part of the pig is made into a dish served on the Lunar New Year.Double-cooked pork slices锅包肉guō bāo ròuSweet and sour pork dish originally from Harbin.Fork fire spoon筱筱火xiǎo xiǎo huǒBuns made with a beef, green onions, fresh ginger, and sesame oil filing often stamped with a special iron or "fire fork" to leave the signature of the region.

See also

Northeastern Chinese cuisine Chinese cuisine Korean cuisine Manchu cuisine

References