Cantonese cuisine
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Chinese
Cantonese or Guangdong cuisine, also known as Yue cuisine (Template:Lang-zh or Template:Lang-zh), is the cuisine of Cantonese people, associated with the Guangdong province of China, particularly the provincial capital Guangzhou, and the surrounding regions in the Pearl River Delta including Hong Kong and Macau.<ref name="Hsiung">Hsiung, Deh-Ta. Simonds, Nina. Lowe, Jason. [2005] (2005). The food of China: a journey for food lovers. Bay Books. Template:ISBN. p17.</ref> Strictly speaking, Cantonese cuisine is the cuisine of Guangzhou or of Cantonese speakers, but it often includes the cooking styles of all the speakers of Yue Chinese languages in Guangdong.
The Teochew cuisine and Hakka cuisine of Guangdong are considered their own styles. However, scholars may categorize Guangdong cuisine into three major groups based on the region's dialect: Cantonese, Hakka and Chaozhou cuisines.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Neighboring Guangxi's cuisine is also considered separate despite eastern Guangxi being considered culturally Cantonese due to the presence of ethnic Zhuang influences in the rest of the province.
Cantonese cuisine is one of the Eight Great Traditions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the large number of Cantonese emigrants. Chefs trained in Cantonese cuisine are highly sought after throughout China.<ref name="civitello11">Template:Cite book</ref> Until the late 20th century, most Chinese restaurants in the West served largely Cantonese dishes.
Background
[edit]Guangzhou (Canton) City, the provincial capital of Guangdong and the centre of Cantonese culture, has long been a trading hub and many imported foods and ingredients are used in Cantonese cuisine. Besides pork, beef and chicken, Cantonese cuisine incorporates almost all edible meats, including offal, chicken feet, duck's tongue, frog legs, snakes and snails.Template:Citation needed However, lamb and goat are less commonly used than in the cuisines of northern or western China. Many cooking methods are used, with steaming and stir-frying being the most favoured due to their convenience and rapidity. Other techniques include shallow frying, double steaming, braising and deep frying.
Compared to other Chinese regional cuisines, the flavours of most traditional Cantonese dishes should be well-balanced and not greasy. Apart from that, spices should be used in modest amounts to avoid overwhelming the flavours of the primary ingredients, and these ingredients in turn should be at the peak of their freshness and quality.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> There is no widespread use of fresh herbs in Cantonese cooking, in contrast with their liberal use in other cuisines such as Sichuanese, Vietnamese, Lao, Thai and European. Garlic chives and coriander leaves are notable exceptions, although the former are often used as a vegetable and the latter are usually used as mere garnish in most dishes.
Foods
[edit]Sauces and condiments
[edit]In Cantonese cuisine, ingredients such as sugar, salt, soy sauce, rice wine, corn starch, vinegar, scallion and sesame oil suffice to enhance flavour, although garlic is heavily used in some dishes, especially those in which internal organs, such as entrails, may emit unpleasant odours. Ginger, chili peppers, five-spice powder, powdered black pepper, star anise and a few other spices are also used, but often sparingly.
English | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin |
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Black bean sauce | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | syun3 jung4 dau6 si6 zoeng3 | suànróng dòuchǐjiàng |
Char siu sauce | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | caa1 siu1 zoeng3 | chāshāojiàng |
Chu hau paste | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | cyu5 hau4 zoeng3 | zhùhóujiàng |
Hoisin sauce | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | hoi2 sin1 zoeng3 | hǎixiānjiàng |
Master stock | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | lou5 seoi2 | lǔshuǐ |
Oyster sauce | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | hou4 jau4 | háoyóu |
Plum sauce | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | syun1 mui4 zoeng3 | sūméijiàng |
Red vinegar | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | daai6 hung4 zit3 cou3 | dàhóngzhècù |
Shrimp paste | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | haam4 haa1 zoeng3 | xiánxiājiàng |
Shrimp paste block | 蝦膏 | 虾膏 | haa1 gou1 | Xiāgāo |
Sweet and sour sauce | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | tong4 cou3 zoeng3 | tángcùjiàng |
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Oysters steamed in two ways: with ginger and garlic, and in black bean sauce
Dried and preserved ingredients
[edit]Although Cantonese cooks pay much attention to the freshness of their primary ingredients, Cantonese cuisine also uses a long list of preserved food items to add flavour to a dish. This may be influenced by Hakka cuisine, since the Hakkas were once a dominant group occupying imperial Hong Kong and other southern territories.
Some items gain very intense flavours during the drying/preservation/oxidation process and some foods are preserved to increase their shelf life. Some chefs combine both dried and fresh varieties of the same items in a dish. Dried items are usually soaked in water to rehydrate before cooking. These ingredients are generally not served a la carte, but rather with vegetables or other Cantonese dishes.
Image | English | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin | Notes |
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File:Sliced century eggs with smashed chili at Guanshi Wing Bar, Xinjiekou (20220723132726).jpg | Century egg | Template:Lang | pei4 daan2 | pídàn | Can be found served with roasted dishes, in congee with lean pork, and in a sweet pastry with lotus paste. | |
File:Lachang Cantonese short.jpg | Chinese sausage | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | laap6 coeng2 | làcháng | Usually added to rice together with preserved-salted duck and pork. |
Dried sea snail | 螺頭 / 螺片 | 螺头 / 螺片 | lo4 tau4 / lo2 pin2 | Luótóu/ luópiàn | Usually added to clear soup. | |
File:HK SW 上環 Sheung Wan 皇后大道西 Queen's Road West 菜乾 dried choi vegetable October 2022 Px3.jpg | Dried bok choy | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | coi3 gon1 | càigān | |
File:HK food 乾瑤柱 Dried scallop conpoy 沉 February 2020 SS2.jpg | Dried scallops | Template:Lang | gong1 jiu4 cyu5 | jiāngyáozhù | Usually added to clear soup. | |
Template:Lang | Template:Lang | |||||
File:Dry pot shrimp.jpg | Dried shrimp | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | haa1 gon1 | xiāgān | Usually de-shelled, sliced into half and added to vegetable dishes. |
File:Tôm khô.jpg | Dried small shrimp | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | haa1 mai5 | xiāmǐ | Usually mixed with stir-fried vegetables. |
File:Fermented bean curd in bowl (20220219181233).jpg | Fermented tofu | Template:Lang | fu6 jyu5 | fǔrǔ | ||
File:2015 1012 Preserved black beans douchi close-up.jpg | Fermented black beans | Template:Lang | dau6 si6 | dòuchǐ | Usually added to pork and tofu dishes. | |
File:MeiganCaiBundle.jpg | Mei cai | Template:Lang | mui4 coi3 | méicài | Usually cooked with pork or stir-fried with rice. | |
File:曬蘿蔔乾 Dried radish.jpg | Chai poh / Dried preserved radish | Template:Lang | coi3 pou2 | càifǔ | A key ingredient for making chai poh omelette. | |
File:HK Aberdeen 東勝道 Tung Sing Road 得記燒臘飯店 Tak Kee Rice Restaurant Nov-2012 腊鴨比 Dried Duck legs.JPG | Preserved-salted duck | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | laap6 aap2 | làyā | Usually eaten with rice in a family meal. |
File:HK 紅磡 Hung Hom 馬頭圍道 Ma Tau Wai Road food shop Lap Mei Yuk December 2021 SS2 01.jpg | Preserved-salted pork | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | laap6 juk6 | làròu | Usually eaten with rice in a family meal. |
File:Telorasin.jpg | Salted duck egg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | haam4 daan2 | xiándàn | May be eaten as it is or mixed with stir-fried vegetables and steam dishes or cooked with diced pork in congee. |
File:ZS 中山市 Zhongshan 棠記海鮮餐廳 Tangji Seafood Restaurant 晚餐 dinner steamed salted fish May 2023 Px3 01.jpg | Salted fish | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | haam4 jyu2 | xiányú | Usually paired with steamed pork or added to fried rice together with diced chicken. |
File:Sayur asin pickles.JPG | Suan cai | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | haam4 syun1 coi3 | xiánsuāncài | The key ingredient for making Haam Coi Pepper Hog Maw Soup (咸菜胡椒豬肚湯). |
File:The Five of Jinwa Ham on the Lo Sam Yeung Chinese Food Shop.jpg | Jinhua ham | 金華火腿 | 金华火腿 | gam1 waa4 fo2 teoi2 | Jīnhuáhuǒtuǐ | Usually added to clear soup. |
File:VegetarianGoose.jpg | Tofu skin | Template:Lang | fu6 pei4 | fǔpí | Usually used as wrapping for ground pork dishes. It is fried in a similar manner as spring rolls. |
Traditional dishes
[edit]A number of dishes have been part of Cantonese cuisine since the earliest territorial establishments of Guangdong. While many of these are on the menus of typical Cantonese restaurants, some simpler ones are more commonly found in Cantonese homes. Home-made Cantonese dishes are usually served with plain white rice.
Deep fried dishes
[edit]There are a small number of deep-fried dishes in Cantonese cuisine, which can often be found as street food. They have been extensively documented in colonial Hong Kong records of the 19th and 20th centuries. A few are synonymous with Cantonese breakfast and lunch,<ref name="Wordie">Template:Cite book</ref> even though these are also part of other cuisines.
English | Image | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin |
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Dace fish balls | File:HK food 酥炸 鯪魚球 Dacefish meat balls Nov-2013 九記 Kau Kee Restaurant.JPG | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | leng4 jyu4 kau4 | Template:Transliteration |
Chinese Donut | File:Chinese fried bread.jpg | Template:Lang | jau4 zaa3 gwai2 | Template:Transliteration | |
Ox-tongue pastry | File:HK WCD 灣仔 Wan Chai 軒尼詩道 432 Hennessy Road 人和悅大廈 Yan Wo Yuet Building shop 忠記粥品 Chung Kee Restaurant 牛脷酥 Ox-tongue pastry night October 2022 Px3.jpg | 牛脷酥 | ngau4 lei6 sou1 | niúlìsū | |
Zaa Leung | File:Zhaliang.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | zaa3 loeng5 | Template:Transliteration |
Soups
[edit]Old fire soup, or lou fo tong (Template:Lang-zh), is a clear broth prepared by simmering meat and other ingredients over a low heat for several hours. Chinese herbs are often used as ingredients. There are basically two ways to make old fire soup – put ingredients and water in the pot and heat it directly on fire, which is called bou tong (Template:Lang-zh); or put the ingredients in a small stew pot, and put it in a bigger pot filled with water, then heat the bigger pot on fire directly, which is called dun tong (Template:Lang-zh). The latter way can keep the most original taste of the soup.
Soup chain stores or delivery outlets in cities with significant Cantonese populations, such as Hong Kong, serve this dish due to the long preparation time required of slow-simmered soup.
English | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cantonese seafood soup | Template:Lang | hoi2 wong4 gang1 | hǎihuáng gēng | |
Night-blooming cereus soup | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | baa3 wong4 faa1 bou1 tong1 | bàwánghuā bāotāng |
Snow fungus soup | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | ngan4 ji5 tong1 | yín'ěr tāng |
Spare ribs soup with watercress and apricot kernels | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | naam4 bak1 hang6 sai1 joeng4 coi3 zyu1 gwat1 tong1 | nánběixìng xīyángcài zhūgǔ tāng |
Winter melon soup | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | dung1 gwaa1 tong1 | dōngguā tāng |
Seafood
[edit]Due to Guangdong's location along the South China Sea coast, fresh seafood is prominent in Cantonese cuisine, and many Cantonese restaurants keep aquariums or seafood tanks on the premises. In Cantonese cuisine, as in cuisines from other parts of Asia, if seafood has a repugnant odour, strong spices and marinating juices are added; the freshest seafood is odourless and, in Cantonese culinary arts, is best cooked by steaming. For instance, in some recipes, only a small amount of soy sauce, ginger and spring onion is added to steamed fish. In Cantonese cuisine, the light seasoning is used only to bring out the natural sweetness of the seafood. As a rule of thumb, the spiciness of a dish is usually negatively correlated to the freshness of the ingredients.
Image | English | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin | |
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File:Ginger scallion lobster.jpg | Lobster with ginger and scallions | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | goeng1 cung1 lung4 haa1 | jiāngcōng lóngxiā | |
File:Lobster with soup yi fu noodles.jpg | Lobster with e-fu noodles in soup /
Cheese lobster with e-fu noodles |
上湯龍蝦伊麵 / 芝士龍蝦伊麵 | 上汤龙虾伊面 / 芝士龙虾伊面 | soeng6 tong1 lung4 haa1 ji1 min6 / zi1 si2 lung4 haa1 ji1 min6 | Shàngtāng lóngxiā yīmiàn / Zhīshì lóngxiā yīmiàn | |
File:Shrimp Type Things Covered in Garlic (2891424375).jpg | Mantis shrimp | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | laai6 niu6 haa1 | làniàoxiā | |
File:Orangesquid.jpg | Orange cuttlefish | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | lou5 seoi2 mak6 jyu4 | lǔshuǐ mòyú | |
File:Food 清蒸檸檬魚, 泰鄉雲餐廳, 台北 (17167116250).jpg | Steamed fish | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | zing1 yu4 | zhēngyú | |
File:Minced garlic glass noodle scallops.jpg | Steamed scallops with ginger and garlic | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | syun3 jung4 zing1 sin3 bui3 | suànróng zhēng shànbèi | |
File:HK SYP food 晚餐 dinner 白灼蝦 February 2021 SS2 09.jpg | White boiled shrimp | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | baak6 zoek3 haa1 | báizhuóxiā |
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Typical ingredients for Cantonese style hotpot are razor shell (Template:Lang), crab (Template:Lang), prawn (Template:Lang), chicken sausage (Template:Lang) and dace fishball (Template:Lang)
Noodle dishes
[edit]Noodles are served either in soup broth or fried. These are available as home-cooked meals, on dim sum side menus, or as street food at dai pai dongs, where they can be served with a variety of toppings such as fish balls, beef balls, or fish slices.
English | Image | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beef brisket noodles | File:HK TKL 調景嶺 Tiu Keng Leng 新樂園魚蛋粉 Sun Lok Yuen Noodle Restaurant 將軍澳 Tseung Kwan O 常寧路 Sheung Ning Road food 牛腩湯麵 April 2019 SSG 03.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | ngau4 laam5 min6 | niú nǎn miàn | May be served dry or in soup. |
Beef chow fun | File:Beefchowfoon.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | gon1 caau2 ngau4 ho2 | gān chǎo niú hé | Fried beef noodles made with hor-fun, typically chilli oil is also added. |
Chow mein | File:Chow mein 1 by yuen.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | caau2 min6 | chǎo miàn | A generic term for various stir-fried noodle dishes. Hong Kong-style chow mein is made from pan-fried thin crispy noodles. |
Jook-sing noodles | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | zuk1 sing1 min6 | zhúshēngmiàn | Bamboo log pressed noodles. | |
Lo mein | File:Real lo mein.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | lou1 min6 | lāo miàn | Boiled wheat noodles mixed with a sauce, or served with a sauce alongside. Traditionally not stir-fried. |
Rice noodle roll | File:Cha siu choeng.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | coeng2 fan2 | chángfěn | Also known as chee cheong fun. |
Shahe fen | File:Rice noodles (4681330292).jpg | Template:Lang | ho4 fun2 | héfěn | Also known as hor-fun. | |
Rice noodles | File:Rice noodles vermicelli mie.jpg | 米粉 | mai5 fan2 | mǐfěn | Also known as rice vermicelli | |
Silver needle noodles | File:Fried-Lao-Shu-Fen Fried-Lou-Syu-Fan Fried-Short-Rice-Noodles.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | ngan4 zam1 fun2 | yín zhēn fěn | Also known as rat noodles (Template:Lang-zh). |
Yi mein | File:Lobster with E-Fu Noodle.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | ji1 min6 | yī miàn | Also known as e-fu noodles. |
Wonton noodles | File:HK Sai Ying Pun Centre Street 雲吞 Wonton noodle July-2012.JPG | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | wan4 tan1 min6 | yúntūn miàn | Sometimes spelled as wanton noodles. |
Siu mei
[edit]Template:Main Siu mei (Template:Lang-zh) is essentially the Chinese rotisserie style of cooking. Unlike most other Cantonese dishes, siu mei solely consists of meat, with no vegetables.
All Cantonese-style cooked meats, including siu mei, lou mei and preserved meat can be classified as siu laap (Template:Lang-zh).
Lou mei
[edit]Lou mei (Template:Lang-zh) is the name given to dishes made from internal organs, entrails and other left-over parts of animals. It is widely available in southern Chinese regions.
Image | English | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
File:Niubaiye.jpg | Beef entrails | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | ngau4 zaap6 | niú zá |
File:牛腩煲仔饭 Beef Brisket Hotpot Rice - Soup, Box Hill (2171826488).jpg | Beef brisket | Template:Lang | ngau4 laam5 | niú nǎn | |
File:HK 灣仔 Wan Chai Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building 駱克道市政大廈 Lockhart Road Market 駱克道街市 Hung Kee Chiu Chow food Sept 2017 IX1 04.jpg | Chicken scraps | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | gai1 zaap6 | jī zá |
Duck gizzard | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | aap3 san6 | yā shèn | |
File:HK Sheung Wan 皇后大道中 329 Queen's Road Central 嘉寶大廈 Carbo Mansion shop 新園興記燒臘飯店 Sun Yuen Hing Kee Siu Mei Restaurant May 2023 Px3 06.jpg | Pig's tongue | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | zyu1 lei6 | zhū lì |
Meat and rice plates
[edit]A portion of meat, such as char siu, served on a bed of steamed white rice. A typical variant consists of half-and-half portions of two types of siu mei and lou mei (or sometimes more than two). A steamed vegetable (such as choy sum) is frequently, but not always included.
English | Image | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin |
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Rice with char siu and siu yuk | File:HK STT 石塘咀 Shek Tong Tsui 皇后大道西 Queen's Road West BBQ food shop 唐順興 Tang's Roast BBQ 燒味肉 meat n choi sum vegetable May 2021 SS2 01.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | caa1 siu1 siu1 juk6 faan6 | chāshāo shāo ròu fàn |
Rice with Chinese sausage and char siu | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | laap6 ceung4 caa1 siu1 faan6 | làcháng chāshāo fàn | |
Rice with roast goose and goose intestines | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | siu1 ngo4 ngo4 coeng4 faan6 | shāo é é cháng fàn |
Little pot rice
[edit]Little pot rice (Template:Lang-zh) are dishes cooked and served in a flat-bottomed pot (as opposed to a round-bottomed wok). Usually this is a saucepan or braising pan (see clay pot cooking). Such dishes are cooked by covering and steaming, making the rice and ingredients very hot and soft. Usually the ingredients are layered on top of the rice with little or no mixing in between. Many standard combinations exist.
English | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rice with Chinese sausage and preserved meat | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | laap6 coeng2 bou1 zai2 faan6 | làwèi bāozǎifàn |
Rice with layered egg and beef | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | wo1 daan2 ngaw4 juk6 faan6 | wōdàn niúròu fàn |
Rice with minced beef patty | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | juk6 beng2 bou1 zai2 faan6 | ròubǐng bāozǎifàn |
Rice with spare ribs | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | paai4 gwat1 bou1 zai2 faan6 | páigǔ bāozǎifàn |
Rice with steamed chicken | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | zing1 gai1 juk6 bou1 zai2 faan6 | zhēng jīròu bāozǎifàn |
Banquet/dinner dishes
[edit]A number of dishes are traditionally served in Cantonese restaurants only at dinner time. Dim sum restaurants stop serving bamboo-basket dishes after the yum cha period (equivalent to afternoon tea) and begin offering an entirely different menu in the evening. Some dishes are standard while others are regional. Some are customised for special purposes such as Chinese marriages or banquets. Salt and pepper dishes are one of the few spicy dishes.
Dessert
[edit]After the evening meal, most Cantonese restaurants offer tong sui (Template:Lang-zh), a sweet soup. Many varieties of tong sui are also found in other Chinese cuisines. Some desserts are traditional, while others are recent innovations. The more expensive restaurants usually offer their specialty desserts. Sugar water is the general name of dessert in Guangdong province. It is cooked by adding water and sugar to some other cooking ingredients.
Delicacies
[edit]Certain Cantonese delicacies consist of parts taken from rare or endangered animals, which raises controversyTemplate:According to whom over animal rights and environmental issues. This is oftenTemplate:According to whom due to alleged health benefits of certain animal products. For example, the continued spreading of the idea that shark cartilage can cure cancer has led to decreased shark populations even though scientific research has found no evidence to support the credibility of shark cartilage as a cancer cure.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
English | Image | Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Jyutping | Pinyin |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bird's nest soup | File:Bird's-nest-soup-Miri-Malaysia.jpg | Template:Lang | jin1 wo1 | yànwō | |
Braised abalone | File:Chineseabalonecuisine.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | mun6 baau1 jyu4 | mèn bàoyú |
Jellyfish | File:CantoneseJellyfish.jpg | Template:Lang | hoi2 zit3 | hǎizhé | |
Sea cucumber | File:Seacucumbercuisine.jpg | Template:Lang | hoi2 saam1 | hǎishēn | |
Shark fin soup | File:Chinese cuisine-Shark fin soup-04.jpg | Template:Lang | Template:Lang | jyu4 ci3 tong1 | yúchì tāng |
See also
[edit]- Cantonese culture
- Chinese food therapy
- Dim sum
- Hong Kong cuisine
- List of Chinese dishes
- Macanese cuisine
- Restaurant industry in Guangzhou
References
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- Eight Immortal Flavors: Secrets of Cantonese Cookery from San Francisco's Chinatown, Johnny Kan and Charles L. Leong. Berkeley, California: Howell-North Books, 1963
External links
[edit]Template:Cuisine Template:Cantonese cuisine Template:Guangdong topics Template:Guangxi topics Template:Hong Kong topics Template:Macau topics Template:Authority control