Flavorful Origins - Flavorful Origins: Chaoshan

Delve into the delectable world of Chaoshan cuisine, explore its unique ingredients and hear the stories of the people behind its creation.

20 Episodes

Olives

Season 1 - Episode 1

In Chaoshan, olives are preserved in distinct ways and appear in a variety of dishes, including fresh juices and meat soups.

Hu Tieu

Season 1 - Episode 2

A quintessentially Chaoshan staple and a taste of home for many, kway teow (rice-noodle strips) can be stir-fried or wrapped around tasty fi...

Marinated Crab

Season 1 - Episode 3

Garlic. Cilantro. Chili pepper. The marinated raw-crab dish varies in style from Puning to Shantou, but it's always fresh and tender.

Brine

Season 1 - Episode 4

Cinnamon, anise and galangal are among the spices that go into Chaoshan brine, a key ingredient in braised offal, goose head and hot pot.

Puning Bean Paste

Season 1 - Episode 5

Long ago, migrants from the north brought soybeans to Chaoshan, now home to a unique bean paste featured in many dishes, from spinach to ste...

Preserved Radish

Season 1 - Episode 6

An age-old Chaoshan tradition, the preserved white radish can put an innovative spin on various dishes, from spare ribs to stir-fried squid.

Seaweed

Season 1 - Episode 7

To bring out umami and impart the flavor of the sea, the versatile ingredient seaweed can be stir-fried, deep-fried, roasted and sprinkled o...

Oysters

Season 1 - Episode 8

Steamed, marinated, stir-fried, grilled or dried. A classic in Chaoshan cuisine, the oyster is traditionally cultivated in the town of Jingz...

Chaozhou Mandarin Oranges

Season 1 - Episode 9

A regional product, the Chaozhou orange can be deep-fried or dried and preserved to make sweet treats, while its peel can be used for zesty ...

Lei Cha

Season 1 - Episode 10

In the Hakka tradition, tea leaves are cooked with fresh herbs, then ground with sesame seeds or peanuts in a mortar to make lei cha, a frag...

Tofu Cake

Season 1 - Episode 11

Garlic, fat, liquor and fermented bean curd. The traditional tofu cake is a baked pastry boasting a rich taste profile and centuries of hist...

Beef Hot Pot

Season 1 - Episode 12

Expert butchers in Chaoshan sharpen their knives to slice premium beef into perfect, marbled cutlets that are juicy, tender, and ready for h...

Beef Meatballs

Season 1 - Episode 13

Inheriting the techniques of previous generations, makers of Chaoshan beef meatballs dedicate hours of hard work to achieve perfect texture ...

Yusheng

Season 1 - Episode 14

Enjoyed with vegetables and dipping sauce, yu sheng (freshly sliced raw fish) is a delicacy with a long history in Chaoshan.

Meal of Fish

Season 1 - Episode 15

Salted, boiled and air-dried in bamboo baskets, the mackerel scad is among many seafoods that make for a chewy, flavorful and simple main di...

Fish Sauce

Season 1 - Episode 16

Indispensable to Chaoshan cooking, fish sauce is traditionally made by salt-curing and fermenting hilsa herring, but new methods have croppe...

Fish Ball and Wrapped Fish

Season 1 - Episode 17

In Chaoshan, the lizardfish is deboned and pounded to make surimi (fish paste) -- a versatile ingredient with a uniquely smooth and elastic ...

Mussels

Season 1 - Episode 18

Harvested from Nan'ao Island's shores, mussels are a summer delicacy that can be cooked with basil, folded into spring rolls and added to fr...

Galangal

Season 1 - Episode 19

Galangal arrived in Chaoshan from Southeast Asia a long time ago, imbuing meat dishes like chicken and lamb with a fragrant punch.

Chinese Motherwort

Season 1 - Episode 20

Known for both taste and nutritional value, Chinese motherwort is blanched and added to soup and congee as a breakfast favorite.