Eastern Chinese Food

Shanghai foods tend to be a little sweeter than those of other Chinese regions, and they have a rich flavor and some delicacy. Many are red-cooked and simmered or stewed with a variety of soy sauces. Shanghai foods are also cooked with vinegar and with added sweetness from regular or slab brown sugar. Foods of this region also include those from other provinces, including those of Gansu and Zhejiang as well as foods from the southern province of Fujian, the ancestral home of many Chinese who immigrated to Southeast Asia and to the United States. Meals from Fujian come with two or more soups as well as stewed and red dishes. Their color comes from the red wine lees left after making wines based on red rice. This region is known for its red-cooked pork and its use of superior soy sauce.