Flavorful Origins: Chaoshan (2019)

In Chaoshan, olives are preserved in distinct ways and appear in a variety of dishes, including fresh juices, and meat soups. (Source: Netflix)

A quintessentially Chaoshan staple and a taste of home for many, kway teow (rice-noodle strips) can be stir-fried or wrapped around tasty fillings.(Source: Netflix)

Garlic. Cilantro. Chili pepper. The marinated raw-crab dish varies in style from Puning to Shantou, but it’s always fresh and tender.(Source: Netflix)

Cinnamon, anise and galangal are among the spices that go into Chaoshan brine, a key ingredient in braised offal, goose head and hot pot. (Source: Netflix)

Long ago, migrants from the north brought soybeans to Chaoshan, now home to a unique bean paste featured in many dishes, from spinach to steamed fish. (Source: Netflix)

An age-old Chaoshan tradition, the preserved white radish can put an innovative spin on various dishes, from spare ribs to stir-fried squid. (Source: Netflix)

To bring out umami and impart the flavour of the sea, the versatile ingredient seaweed can be stir-fried, deep-fried, roasted and sprinkled on soup. (Source: Netflix)

Steamed, marinated, stir-fried, grilled or dried. A classic in Chaoshan cuisine, the oyster is traditionally cultivated in the town of Jingzhou. (Source: Netflix)

A regional product, the Chaozhou orange can be deep-fried or dried and preserved to make sweet treats, while its peel can be used for zesty seasoning. (Source: Netflix)

In the Hakka tradition, tea leaves are cooked with fresh herbs, then ground with sesame seeds or peanuts in a mortar to make lei chai, a fragrant drink. (Source: Netflix)

Garlic, fat, liquor and fermented bean curd. The traditional tofu cake is a baked pastry boasting a rich taste profile and centuries of history. (Source: Netflix)

Expert butchers in Chaoshan sharpen their knives to slice premium beef into perfect, marbled cutlets that are juicy, tender and ready for hot pot. (Source: Netflix)

Inheriting the techniques of previous generations, makers of Chaoshan beef meatballs dedicate hours of hard work to achieve perfect texture and flavour. (Source: Netflix)

Enjoyed with vegetables and dipping sauce, yu sheng (freshly sliced raw fish) is a delicacy with a long history in Chaoshan. (Source: Netflix)

Salted, boiled and air-dried in bamboo baskets, the mackerel scad is among many seafoods that make for a chewy, flavorful and simple main dish. (Source: Netflix)

Indispensable to Chaoshan cooking, fish sauce is traditionally made by salt-curing and fermenting hilsa herring, but new methods have cropped up. (Source: Netflix)

In Chaoshan, the lizardfish is deboned and pounded to make surimi (fish paste) – a versatile ingredient with a uniquely smooth and elastic texture. (Source: Netflix)

Harvested from Nan’ao Island’s shores, mussels are a summer delicacy that can be cooked with basil, folded into spring rolls and added to fried rice. (Source: Netflix)

Galangal arrived in Chaoshan from Southeast Asia a long time ago, imbuing meat dishes like chicken and lamb with a fragrant punch. (Source: Netflix)

Known for both taste and nutritional value, Chinese motherwort is blanched and added to soup and congee as a breakfast favorite. (Source: Netflix)