Guizhou Cuisine, also known as Qian Cuisine, refers to the local cuisine in Guizhou Province, China.
Characteristics:
Diverse Flavors：Guizhou cuisine is characterized by a combination of spicy, sour, fragrant, and rich flavors. The spiciness is not overly intense but rather fragrant and delicious, with a variety of chili pepper types and flavor combinations used to create complex and unique tastes.
Emphasis on Acidity：Due to the historical scarcity of salt in Guizhou, sour flavors play an important role. There are many kinds of sour soups, such as fish sour soup, tomato sour soup, etc., which are sour and refreshing, and can also enhance the freshness of ingredients.
Rich in Local Ingredients：Guizhou has a unique geographical environment and rich products. Local ingredients such as various wild herbs, mushrooms, game, and special varieties of peppers, beans, and grains are widely used in cooking, giving the cuisine a strong local flavor.
Common Cooking Methods:
Stewing and Braising：Many Guizhou dishes are cooked by stewing or braising, which can make the ingredients more flavorful and the meat tender and juicy. For example, sour soup fish is usually braised in sour soup to fully absorb the flavor of the soup.
Frying and Stir-frying：Frying and stir-frying are also common cooking methods. Dishes like spicy chicken are first fried to make the chicken skin crispy and then stir-fried with various seasonings to bring out the flavor.
Steaming：Steaming is used to preserve the original flavor and nutrition of the ingredients. Some local specialties like Congjiang fragrant pork are often steamed to showcase its natural flavor.
Representative Dishes：
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Kaili Sour Soup Fish：This is an iconic dish of Guizhou cuisine. It uses sour rice soup and fresh local fish. The fish is braised in the sour soup and combined with pickled chili peppers, tomato sauce, and other seasonings, offering a unique combination of sour, spicy, and fresh flavors.
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Spicy Chicken：Sliced chicken is fried and then stir-fried with a special Huaxi chili sauce. The dish is fragrant and spicy, with the chicken remaining tender
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Rice Tofu in Chili Oil：A popular cold dish or night snack in summer. Rice tofu cubes are mixed with fried peanuts, fried soybeans, bean sprouts, pickled radish, and chili oil, and then topped with sliced green onions, ginger, soybean sauce, and vinegar.
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Si Wawa：A traditional Guizhou snack made by wrapping shredded vegetables with flour wrappers and dipping them in sauce. It is simple to make and suitable for vegetarians.
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Zunyi Mutton Noodles：With a history of over 300 years, the mutton bones are braised to make soup, and then the noodles are topped with the soup, large pieces of mutton, and chili oil. It is a popular dish for keeping warm in winter.
Cultural Significance
Reflecting Ethnic Minority Cultures：Guizhou is a province with many ethnic minorities, and Guizhou cuisine incorporates the food cultures and cooking techniques of various ethnic groups, such as the Miao, Dong, and Bouyei ethnic groups, reflecting the diversity and unity of ethnic cultures。
Bonding with Local Life：Food is an important part of people's daily lives in Guizhou. Many dishes are closely related to local festivals, rituals, and daily gatherings, playing an important role in strengthening social bonds and cultural inheritance。
