What Delicious Cuisines Can You Taste in Zhaoqing?

Zhaoqing cuisine falls under the Lingnan culinary school (often categorized alongside Chaozhou cuisine). It boasts unique Lingnan characteristics: clear-tasting yet not bland, fresh yet fishy-free, tender yet not raw, rich in oil yet never greasy, making Zhaoqing a paradise for food lovers. Local dishes prioritize freshness above all else. Mountain carp and Maixi carp are the two most renowned carps in Zhaoqing, cooked into dishes that taste incredibly tender and refreshing. There are also countless distinctive snacks that whet your appetite just by thinking about them.

A special type of zongzi, Zhaoqing glutinous rice wraps are exquisitely crafted with glutinous rice, mung beans and fatty pork, seasoned with proper amounts of refined salt, rice wine, peanut oil, white sesame seeds, five-spice powder and other condiments.

A signature vegetarian dish exclusive to Qingyun Temple on Dinghu Mountain, Zhaoqing, it excels in color, aroma, taste and shape. It was first created in the early Yongli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1647–1650).

To prepare this feast, chefs first select premium ingredients: three types of mushrooms (shiitake, straw and button mushrooms), six varieties of fungus (tremella, wood ear, elm ear, cloud ear, sand ear and osmanthus fungus), as well as hair moss, dried bamboo shoots, dried shrimps, dried bean curd sticks, vermicelli and daylilies. All ingredients are soaked and cleaned, then braised separately before being combined with seasonings and stewed over high heat. Plenty of clear spring water from Dinghu Mountain is continuously added during stewing. The pure, sweet spring water lends this temple vegetarian dish an unmatched flavor that cannot be replicated by vegetarian dishes from other monasteries.

Xinghua Chicken originates from Xinghua and Yulao areas in Fengkai County, Zhaoqing City. The chickens have plump muscles and evenly distributed fat. Whether poached plain or steamed, the meat is tender, smooth, sweet and fresh, with plain poached being the most popular cooking method. Cleaned whole chickens are simmered in slightly boiling water at 90°C until fully cooked, resulting in golden, glossy skin. The meat delivers clean, fresh, sweet and crisp flavors, with aromatic bones.

Maixi Carp is native to Maixi Pond and Maitang Pond in Dawan, Gaoyao District. It gained widespread fame as early as the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1398). Steaming is the best way to cook this carp to preserve its original flavor. Do not add ginger, scallions or soy sauce; only a pinch of salt, raw peanut oil and shredded dried tangerine peel are needed. The flesh is tender, sweet, fragrant and entirely free of fishy odors.

Wenqing Carp comes from Wenlang, Shapu Town, Dinghu District, Zhaoqing City. It stands out from ordinary carps with its distinctive round head and plump, rounded body. When steamed, its bones taste crisp and aromatic, and the fish scales are soft. The flesh is fatty, tender, sweet, fragrant and silky smooth. Wenqing Carp has an extremely limited annual output and is mainly exported to Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asian countries.