What Delicious Food Can You Try in Yingtan?

Yingtan’s cuisine is most famous for the distinctive flavors of Longhu Mountain. As the place where successive Heavenly Masters practiced Taoism and refined elixirs, Longhu Mountain boasts a profound food culture and has formed a unique Taoist culinary style. A complete range of Heavenly Master specialties has come into being, including Shangqing Tofu, Heavenly Master Eight-Trigram Feast and Heavenly Master Chestnuts. When visiting Yingtan, apart from admiring the stunning natural scenery, be sure to taste the local traditional delicacies for a memorable trip.

Dishes in Yingtan fall into two categories: home-cooked Jiangxi dishes and exclusive Taoist-style cuisine. The home-cooked meals are full of rustic warmth, while Taoist dishes embody profound Taoist culture. They are not only tasty but also boast perfect color, aroma and taste.

Among Taoist dishes, the Heavenly Master Eight-Trigram Feast and Shangqing Tofu stand out the most. Though both are vegetarian, their tempting flavors are truly mouth-watering. The dish in the picture is Shangqing Tofu, entirely made from soybean products, which can be savored in the ancient town of Shangqing.

Made from premium soybeans and pure natural mineral water from the banks of Luxi River, Shangqing Tofu is crafted with century-old traditional craftsmanship. It features a bright white color, smooth texture and fresh tender taste. Dried Shangqing tofu has an exceptionally wonderful flavor.

Apart from its great taste, it is highly nutritious. In traditional medicine, it is believed to replenish qi, relieve swelling and pain, clear intestinal waste, clear internal heat and dispel blood stasis, and it also helps alleviate various ailments.

As an old saying goes, "Extremely clear water harbors no fish". If fish live in crystal-clear water, they must be exceptionally tender. This is exactly true for fish in Luxi River.

Originating from lofty mountains, Luxi River winds through valleys all the way. Its riverbed is covered with pebbles, keeping the water completely unpolluted and transparent to the bottom. The river abounds in fish such as mandarin fish and croaker. They have tender, sweet flesh with no muddy odor, and are celebrated as a local specialty.

The braised river fish served here is prepared by lightly frying the fish first, then simmering it with fresh chili peppers, ginger slices, garlic and other seasonings.

Longhu Mountain is rich in moso bamboo, yielding high-quality winter bamboo shoots — a time-honored local specialty. The shoots are plump, blemish-free, with white and tender flesh. Cooked with fresh pork, salted pork or eggs, they deliver a fresh, tender, sweet and crisp taste, making them a prized dish at the Heavenly Master’s feasts.

To make this dish, premium winter bamboo shoots are shredded, blanched in boiling water to remove astringency, then stir-fried together with shredded salted pork, greatly stimulating the appetite. In addition, stir-fried small bamboo shoots with pickled vegetables and minced pork is another hugely popular local dish.

Grown in remote mountain forests, Longhu Mountain’s shiitake mushrooms are natural green food with diverse varieties and rich nutrients. The prized coin mushrooms — small patterned mushrooms about the size of three coins — have an intense fragrance. Stewed with pork, they create an incredibly refreshing delicacy.

The pork here is extraordinarily smooth and tender, infused with the aroma of mushrooms, thanks to a unique local cooking method. Fresh lean meat is diced, mixed with dry starch, then pounded into meat patties to let starch fully penetrate the meat. The meat is then boiled with shiitake mushrooms in clean water, seasoned only with chives and no chili. The finished dish is light, fresh and delicious.

Tree frogs inhabit mountain puddles and stone caves, making them hard to catch. They have plump, tender meat, and their stewed soup boasts an exquisite flavor. Even in hot summer, the soup will turn into jelly when cooled.

This stew is cooked with loofah, bringing a subtle sweetness to the fresh broth. It also works as a medicinal dish to clear internal heat and detoxify the body.

Chestnuts from Longhu Mountain are large, sweet and rich in starch. Favored by successive Heavenly Masters as a nourishing fruit, they are known as the "Immortal Fruit on Earth".

Braised local farm chicken with these chestnuts over gentle heat is a renowned local delicacy. The dish glistens with oil and gives off an inviting fragrance, once regarded as a treat fit for state guests.

This dish has an interesting origin story. Legend has it that one day, the Heavenly Master hosted a banquet. While the chef was preparing ingredients and simmering chicken in a clay pot, the master’s son playfully tossed some peeled chestnuts into the pot when the chef was not looking. When the pot was served, an irresistible fragrance filled the air. The chicken was pale yellow, and the chestnuts soft and fragrant. All guests praised the dish highly, and the Heavenly Master was delighted. Afterwards, he instructed his chefs to refine the recipe, and it has since become a staple at grand banquets.

Medicinally, this dish nourishes yin and yang, invigorates the spleen and tonifies the kidney, with high nutritional value.

The exact origin of the Heavenly Master Eight-Trigram Feast remains unknown. It features an array of exquisitely prepared dishes with unique flavors and profound Taoist cultural connotations. For generations, it was served to distinguished guests and at major ceremonies hosted by the Heavenly Masters. Every detail, from preparation to dining etiquette, follows strict traditional rules.