A delicious Fujianese experience…
Fuzhou people (Chinese: 福州人; Foochow Romanized: Hók-ciŭ-nè̤ng) - also known as Hokchew, Hokchiu, Fuzhou Shiyi people (福州十邑人) - are Eastern Min residents of either Fuzhou and Mindong regions and the Gutian and Pingnan counties of Fujian province and Matsu Islands in Taiwan.
Map: Fujian Maps, Fujian Travel Guide
The Malaysian Foochow diaspora are prominent in two places: Sibu in Sarawak, East Malaysia, and Sitiawan in Perak, West Malaysia; Sibu is known as "New Fuzhou" and Sitiawan is known as "Little Fuzhou".
As for the cuisine, Foochow dishes are representative of the Min Cuisine that is very much a feature of Fujian Province - one of the recognised eight styles in China.
Some notable Foochow dishes -
- Most renowned Foochow dish is arguably "Fo Tiao Qiang" 佛跳墙 ('Buddha jumps over the wall').
The elaborate stew contains delicacies of more than 30 kinds including Shark's fin, sea cucumber, pig's trotters, dried scallop, mushroom, abalone, pigeon egg and other condiments.
- Red glutinous rice wine chicken 'mee sua' (红糟鸡面线) is a Foochow traditional noodle dish that is typically served during Chinese New Year or birthdays as 'longetivity noodle'. (The vermicelli is made from wheat flour.)
- Gua bao - a pork belly bun - is a type of lotus leaf bun stuffed with stewed red-cooked meat, coriander and crushed peanuts. A Fujianese dish (of Quanzhou/Fuzhou origin) which was popularised in Taiwan.
- Broth-absorbing tender fish maws are considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine and thus pretty pricey.
- Can't escape the sweet and sour flavour while in China. Foochow's take is Lychee Pork or lizhi rou (Chinese: 荔枝肉; pinyin: lìzhī ròu).
- It consists of small pieces of deep-fried pork and sliced water chestnuts served in a sweet and sour sauce, the colour derived from red yeast rice.
- You prefer the familiar sweet and sour pork? Foochow's version is deliciously different: crispy batter without being too starchy, meaty succulent pieces that include yam, in a well balanced sauce with sweet and sour nuances.
- Sabah/Sarawak Foochow version of oyster omelette is like a crispy pancake with baby oysters mixed into the batter. (Oyster omelette in peninsula Malaysia is often moist and starch gooey.)
- Another famous Foochow dish is the tasty bouncy fishball filled with minced pork – Foochow Fishball Soup.
Even the delicious tofu skin has a sandwich of fish paste - very umami.
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