Ocean’s Bounty

3 min read

Care for a taste of China’s best groupers, freshest oysters and sea urchins, and the well-kept secret recipe of “seahorse wine”from Dawanshan Island? Zhuhai is a delight for all the senses; and one of the best things to do in the city is gorging on delicious seafood when peering out upon the gentle waves. Speaking fairly, the culinary splendor of the “City of a Hundred Islands”is second to none in China, like a gift that keeps on giving-it rewards the most hypercritical gourmets amongst us with unrivalled seafood from the South China Sea. Sea crabs, jellyfish, squid and numerous exotic forms of sea life regarded as food by humans-the city has got the lot to captivate your taste buds.

Modern times have seen a brilliant fusion of the city’s culinary resources and a smorgasbord of styles fostered by a strong immigrant culture, bringing Zhuhai’s food culture into an entirely new realm, within which it has ripened into a distinct and comprehensive form that is truly unique in China.huhai justifiably ranks as an important contributor to the culinary spectrum of China’s Cantonese region. Ample archaeological evidence has emerged to prove that the ancestors of the Zhuhai people todaycaught fish and harvested clams to meet basic living needs as early as 4,000 years ago, and that rice growing and pottery-making had become sophisticated enterprises among people living in Housha Bay and Baojing Bay some 6,000 years ago.

The unique mixed tides and moving waters in the estuary bring an abundance of nutrients for aquatic life to thrive, making the region’s crabs, white-leg shrimp, sea urchins, squid and oysters the country’s most coveted. The waters around many of the city’s’ islands, as exemplified by Miaowan, produce the tastiest seaweed that even the most discerning foodies marvel at.

With the reopening of the fishing season in the South China Sea(after the 3.5 month rehabilitation period from May 1 to August 15) the city’s annual seafood spree commences, and this means the following nine months are the best time for foodies to survey the city’s various seafood courts and go to Dawanshan Islandfar less touristy than many of the other island destinations in Zhuhai-to sample the city’s fantastic seafood scene. In fact, seafood lovers who go there will think they have died and gone to heaven.

On the seafood side, the “Zhuhai flavor” represents a gourmet philosophy that is rooted in the mastery of “keep it simple and natural”, as represented by the locals’ decided preference for steamed seafood and”minimalism” in the use of seasonings.

The way the most natural flavors of the sea are retained in this cooking process is also the islanders’way of saying thank you to the blessings brought by the sea.

Encapsulated in the culinary secrets of Zhuhai, and manifested by the local”fish proverbs” that serves as linguistic reminders of when and how to process the seasonal treats from the ocean, is the islanders’wisdom about the art of timing.

Encounter all kinds of local traditional foods and new culinary trends at Chaoyang Seafood Market.

However, this does not mean the chefs here are lacking in creativity. On the contrary, the city’s food culture is a reliable source of epicurean surprises when it comes to innovation. Even for the seafood-phobes there is bound to be something on offer that will grab your fancy.

The locals also excel at making salty, dried fish delicacies that should not be missed.

With soup made from fish bone broth, Seafood Rice Noodles is a popular, inexpensive delicacy available at most of the restaurants and food stands across Zhuhai throughout the year.

Travelers are also advised to try the seahorse wine, an invention of the Dawanshan islanders. This strongly herbal liqueur-with its glistening, rosy color-can get you tipsy quicker than you think…