Shanghai is renowned for its iconic cuisine, known as ‘Hu Cai’. It is a style of cooking that originates from the city’s surrounding regions and is characterized by its use of fresh ingredients, bold flavors and intricate cooking techniques.
Shanghai’s most famous dish is the xiaolongbao, or soup dumpling. This delicate little dumpling comes in a variety of sizes, filled with savory pork or crab and topped with a sweet-sour sauce.
It is savored for its unique combination of Chewy dough, succulent filling and flavorful broth.
Another classic Shanghai dish is shengjianbao – pan-fried pork buns. Rich in flavor and texture, these buns are made from a thick dough that has been cooked in oil until golden brown and crispy on the outside while still remaining soft and fluffy on the inside. They are usually filled with pork or vegetables and served with a special soy-based dipping sauce.
The city also has its own form of fried rice called Yangchun Noodles. This popular dish consists of thin egg noodles stir-fried with shrimp, pork, mushrooms and vegetables in an aromatic blend of soy sauce, sesame oil and spices.
Other Popular Dishes:
One cannot talk about Shanghai cuisine without mentioning the renowned Shanghainese soup called ‘qingtuan’. This delightful soup combines glutinous rice balls stuffed with sweet red bean paste, dried shrimp, peanuts and Chinese dates into a comforting bowl of sweet broth.
Other dishes worth trying include ‘lion’s head meatballs’, which are large pork meatballs cooked in broth; ‘red-braised’ dishes such as pork belly; ‘sweet & sour’ dishes such as fish; various kinds of steamed dim sum; noodle soups such as wonton soup; stir-fried noodles such as chow mein; braised beef noodle soup; scallion pancakes; pot stickers; fried dumplings; spring rolls; dan dan noodles; cold noodles; braised chicken feet; sticky rice cakes with sweet potatoes or red beans.
Conclusion:
Shanghai is well known for its unique cuisine which combines fresh ingredients with bold flavors to create deliciously memorable dishes. From xiaolongbaos to qingtuans to lion’s head meatballs, there are countless options available for those who wish to experience Shanghai’s famous food.
What Is Shanghai Famous Food?
Shanghai is famous for its unique cuisine which includes xiaolongbaos (soup dumplings), shengjianbao (pan-fried pork buns), Yangchun Noodles (stir-fried egg noodles), qingtuan (glutinous rice balls in sweet soup) as well as lion’s head meatballs, red-braised dishes such as pork belly, various kinds of dim sum, noodle soups such as wonton soup or dan dan noodles etc.