Fujian — a fresh style

In Fujian, cooking tends to be on the light side, with an emphasis on steaming food. As Fujian borders Guangdong, many dishes reflect Cantonese elements. Fish, which is a predominant ingredient in this coastal region, is touched only lightly with ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper. The same restraint applies to meat and poultry dishes. The lotus plant grows profusely in ponds, lakes and streams in this area, and its leaves are used for wrapping many fillings. Lotus nuts are also used in cooking, while lotus blossom is revered in Taoism.