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Must-try spring foods in Shanghai

english.pudong.gov.cn Updated:2020-04-14

1. Yanduxian

   

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Yanduxian is a popular spring bamboo soup in China's Jiangnan area - the region south of the Yangtze River. However, every region has its own unique way of making the soup.

Yan refers to pickled pork; du is a local Jiangnan word meaning to stew slowly over a small fire; while xian literally means fresh, referring to the fresh ingredients and taste of the soup.

People in Shanghai prefer to add pickled streaky pork, lettuce and thin layers of bean curd which are tied into knots.

Note: the ingredients must be put into spoiled water, otherwise the soup’s color will not be white.


2. Broad bean with scallion oil

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Broad beans begin hitting shelves at the start of spring. Shanghai locals believe the best way to preserve the bean's natural taste is to serve it with hot scallion oil.

First cook the beans in a casserole. An iron pan should not be used, otherwise the beans will turn black. Then sprinkle chopped scallions on top of the beans and pour hot oil on them.

3. Malantou with water chestnuts

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[Photo/WeChat account: pdnews]

Ma lan tou, or Kalimeris indica, is a kind of edible wild herb. It is usually blanched, chopped and mixed with chopped dried bean curd and sesame oil. 

However, a new preparation method was recently introduced. First blanch and chop the herb and mix it with cooked and chopped water chestnuts. Add some salt and sesame oil. The combination will create an original spring taste.