Flavorful Origins

S01 E01 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Olives

In Chaoshan, olives are preserved in distinct ways and appear in a variety of dishes, including fresh juices and meat soups.

S01 E02 · 2019-02-11 · 13 min

Hu Tieu

A quintessentially Chaoshan staple and a taste of home for many, kway teow (rice-noodle strips) can be stir-fried or wrapped around tasty fillings.

S01 E03 · 2019-02-11 · 13 min

Marinated Crab

Garlic. Cilantro. Chili pepper. The marinated raw-crab dish varies in style from Puning to Shantou, but it's always fresh and tender.

S01 E04 · 2019-02-11 · 11 min

Brine

Cinnamon, anise and galangal are among the spices that go into Chaoshan brine, a key ingredient in braised offal, goose head and hot pot.

S01 E05 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Puning Bean Paste

Long ago, migrants from the north brought soybeans to Chaoshan, now home to a unique bean paste featured in many dishes, from spinach to steamed fish.

S01 E06 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Preserved Radish

An age-old Chaoshan tradition, the preserved white radish can put an innovative spin on various dishes, from spare ribs to stir-fried squid.

S01 E07 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Seaweed

To bring out umami and impart the flavor of the sea, the versatile ingredient seaweed can be stir-fried, deep-fried, roasted and sprinkled on soup.

S01 E08 · 2019-02-11 · 11 min

Oysters

Steamed, marinated, stir-fried, grilled or dried. A classic in Chaoshan cuisine, the oyster is traditionally cultivated in the town of Jingzhou.

S01 E09 · 2019-02-11 · 11 min

Chaozhou Mandarin Oranges

A regional product, the Chaozhou orange can be deep-fried or dried and preserved to make sweet treats, while its peel can be used for zesty seasoning.

S01 E10 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Lei Cha

In the Hakka tradition, tea leaves are cooked with fresh herbs, then ground with sesame seeds or peanuts in a mortar to make lei cha, a fragrant drink.

S01 E11 · 2019-02-11 · 13 min

Tofu Cake

Garlic, fat, liquor and fermented bean curd. The traditional tofu cake is a baked pastry boasting a rich taste profile and centuries of history.

S01 E12 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Beef Hot Pot

Expert butchers in Chaoshan sharpen their knives to slice premium beef into perfect, marbled cutlets that are juicy, tender, and ready for hot pot.

S01 E13 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Beef Meatballs

Inheriting the techniques of previous generations, makers of Chaoshan beef meatballs dedicate hours of hard work to achieve perfect texture and flavor.

S01 E14 · 2019-02-11 · 13 min

Yusheng

Enjoyed with vegetables and dipping sauce, yu sheng (freshly sliced raw fish) is a delicacy with a long history in Chaoshan.

S01 E15 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Meal of Fish

Salted, boiled and air-dried in bamboo baskets, the mackerel scad is among many seafoods that make for a chewy, flavorful and simple main dish.

S01 E16 · 2019-02-11 · 13 min

Fish Sauce

Indispensable to Chaoshan cooking, fish sauce is traditionally made by salt-curing and fermenting hilsa herring, but new methods have cropped up.

S01 E17 · 2019-02-11 · 13 min

Fish Ball and Wrapped Fish

In Chaoshan, the lizardfish is deboned and pounded to make surimi (fish paste) -- a versatile ingredient with a uniquely smooth and elastic texture.

S01 E18 · 2019-02-11 · 12 min

Mussels

Harvested from Nan'ao Island's shores, mussels are a summer delicacy that can be cooked with basil, folded into spring rolls and added to fried rice.

S01 E19 · 2019-02-11 · 13 min

Galangal

Galangal arrived in Chaoshan from Southeast Asia a long time ago, imbuing meat dishes like chicken and lamb with a fragrant punch.

S01 E20 · 2019-02-11 · 11 min

Chinese Motherwort

Known for both taste and nutritional value, Chinese motherwort is blanched and added to soup and congee as a breakfast favorite.

S02 E01 · 2019-10-30 · 14 min

Dairy Products

Yunnan is known for a variety of dairy products, including Dali rushan: thinly sliced cheese that can be fried, grilled or dipped in honey.

S02 E02 · 2019-10-30 · 13 min

Nan Piӗ

A local wild berry features in nanpie, which refers t different types of flavorful pastes made from mashed vegetables or fish.

S02 E03 · 2019-10-31 · 13 min

Sa Piӗ

Sa is a culinary tradition that pairs cold meat or raw vegetables with a versatile sauce that is often mixed with pig blood curd.

S02 E04 · 2019-10-31 · 13 min

Lacquer Seed Oil

Derived from the fruits of the Chinese lacquer tree, qiyou is an oil used to cook eggs, congee, pork stew, roast chicken and even bee larvae.

S02 E05 · 2019-10-31 · 14 min

Ham

Found in local moon cake fillings, Xuanwei cured ham can be thinly sliced, steamed, cooked with egg, stewed or served as cold cuts.

S02 E06 · 2019-10-31 · 14 min

Pickled Vegetables

Salted and partially dried, the sow thistle can be pickled and stir-fried with pork to lend a sour, crunchy flavour, or added to white radish stew.

S02 E07 · 2019-10-30 · 13 min

Hardy Banana

Wrapped in leaves with a sticky rice or spiced fish, the Musa basjoo – a banana found in Yunnan – can make for a sweet snack or savoury dish.

S02 E08 · 2019-10-30 · 14 min

Sour Fruits

Besides being an appetite stimulant, tart fruits like lemon and sour papaya can be added to shredded chicken, carp or a sauce for dousing live shrimp.

S02 E09 · 2019-10-30 · 13 min

Rice Cake

The er, a flattened rice flour cake, can be backed into a sticky snack, sliced and stir-fried with vegetables or julienned into noodle-like strands.

S02 E10 · 2019-10-30 · 12 min

Salted Flour

Zha, an old custom, is an assortment of dried fermented vegetables or fish served as side dishes, made with ancient methods of food preservation.

S03 E01 · 2020-07-24 · 12 min

Mutton

In Jiayuguan city, mutton tallow envelops lamb skewers with layers of flavor. In the Ganjia pastures, herders cook lamb with tripe using hot stones.

S03 E02 · 2020-07-24 · 11 min

Lily

Baked, steamed or stir-fried, the root of the lily plant is sweet and aromatic. Its flower also serves as a salad ingredient or a noodle topping.

S03 E03 · 2020-07-24 · 12 min

Cooked chopped entrails of sheep

From Linxia to the Hexi Corridor, sheep offal can be found sizzling on hot plates, stuffed into casings and wrapped in caul fat.

S03 E04 · 2020-07-24 · 12 min

Flaxseed

In Wuwei County, watermelon farmers enjoy flaxseed rolls as a dry staple food. Flaxseed oil also infuses pastries like Yongdeng mooncake with aroma.

S03 E05 · 2020-07-24 · 12 min

Gua Gua

Grown in the Longdong plateaus, buckwheat can be made into jelly noodles, pancake batter and Tianshui guagua, a savory breakfast dish.

S03 E06 · 2020-07-24 · 11 min

Beef noodles

A slow-cooked beef broth is the soul of the hand-pulled Lanzhou beef noodle, a go-to dish for discerning eaters searching for a taste of home.

S03 E07 · 2020-07-24 · 13 min

Gluten

Baked, air-dried or sliced into strips, the absorbent wheat gluten can be added to soups and meaty stews, making it a perfect flavor reservoir.

S03 E08 · 2020-07-24 · 11 min

Souherb

Found in mullet roe and hot pot, souherb is a white soupy ingredient made by fermenting vegetables like endive, celery, carrot or cabbage.

S03 E09 · 2020-07-24 · 12 min

Niang Pi

From Lanzhou to Wuwei, epicures put a different spin on niang pi, a glutenous cold noodle dish that often comes with sesame, cucumber and chili oil.

S03 E10 · 2020-07-24 · 11 min

Potato

Dingxi boasts more than 30 varieties of potato, eaten sliced, mashed or made in the form of noodles cooked with pork or spicy sauces.

S04 E01 · 2021-06-22 · 12 min

Hot and sour soup

S04 E02 · 2021-06-22 · 12 min

Intestine noodles

S04 E03 · 2021-06-29 · 12 min

Baking powder

S04 E04 · 2021-06-29 · 12 min

BBQ

S04 E05 · 2021-07-06 · 12 min

Shao

S04 E06 · 2021-07-06 · 12 min

Spring rolls

S04 E07 · 2021-07-13 · 12 min

Dip

S04 E08 · 2021-07-13 · 12 min

Yellow cake

S04 E09 · 2021-07-20 · 12 min

Weilu rice

S04 E10 · 2021-07-20 · 12 min

Pickled cabbage

S05 E01 · 2023-11-22 · 12 min

Episode 1

S05 E02 · 2023-11-24 · 11 min

Episode 2

S05 E03 · 2023-11-29 · 12 min

Episode 3

S05 E04 · 2023-12-01 · 12 min

Episode 4

S05 E05 · 2023-12-06 · 12 min

Episode 5

S05 E06 · 2023-12-08 · 12 min

Episode 6

S05 E07 · 2023-12-13 · 12 min

Episode 7

S05 E08 · 2023-12-15 · 12 min

Episode 8

S05 E09 · 2023-12-20 · 12 min

Episode 9

S05 E10 · 2023-12-22 · 12 min

Episode 10