A FOOD TRADITION

Anhui cuisine

Anhui cuisine is associated with the mountainous Huangshan and southern Anhui areas, as well as the Huai River region, and is known for rustic, deeply flavored cooking shaped by local forests, rivers, and preserved foods. Common ingredients include bamboo shoots, mushrooms, freshwater fish, pork, tofu, and wild greens. Stewing, braising, smoking, and slow simmering are characteristic, with careful use of stock and relatively restrained seasoning. Recognizable examples include stinky mandarin fish, hairy tofu, and li hongzhang hotchpotch. The tradition overlaps with neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang cooking, but its emphasis on mountain produce and robust braises gives it a distinct identity.

Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.