(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-04-29 10:55

 

  Luoyang Shui Xi, Luoyang Water Feast     Changshou Yu, Long-live Fish  

Luoyang Shui Xi (Luoyang Water Feast)

As the dish most peculiar to Luoyang, the Water Feast is famed as 'Top Banquet under the Heaven' and parallels the well renowned Dumpling Banquet in Xian. It originates from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and has a long history of over one thousand years. There are in total 24 dishes accompanied by different soups, hence the name of the feast. The dishes combine meat and vegetables together and are served according to a very strict order. You can delight your taste buds with the abundance of flavors that include sour, sweet, salty and hot.

Luoyang Yan Cai (Steamed Radish in Nourishing Soup)

Served first in the Water Feast, this is an imperial dish. It is said that when Empress Wu Zetian (the first Chinese empress) governed the nation in the Tang Dynasty, a farmer discovered a huge radish in Luoyang and he presented it to the empress. The royal cooks steamed it with delicacies of all kinds, making it taste like succulent bird's nest soup (Yan Wo in Pinyin). The empress was greatly satisfied and praised it as the 'succulent mock bird's nest soup'. The dish is made by steaming radish threads and then mixing them with chicken threads, pork threads, sea cucumber threads and seaweed threads in a nourishing pork soup. It not only tastes fresh and delicious, but also appears like a beautiful peony blossom.

Liyu Yue Long Men (Carp Jumping over Dragon Gate)

Carps living in the Yellow River are always famous for their tender flesh, rich nourishment and fresh flavor. This dish uses those carps as an ingredient and looks quite vivid. The steamed carp is presented as holding its head towards a 'dragon gate' made from vegetables on the serving dish. This beautiful creation symbolizes happiness and good luck.

Changshou Yu (Long-live Fish)

This is a traditional dish originated almost 2,000 years ago. Legend has it that the East Han Dynasty (25-220) Emperor Guang Wu (Liu Xiu) once visited the Yellow River. On seeing a red carp jumping out of the river, he ordered it to be caught and cooked for him. After he eaten the carp, he felt vigorous and became healthier and healthier. Therefore, the dish was named Long-live Fish when the cooking method was duly adopted by the local populace. Boiled with medlar and many other seasonings, the carp has a glaring red color with a sweet and sour flavor.

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