Oil-Braised Prawns: The Sauce Is the Prawn

Shandong prawns seared hard in hot oil until their own heads bleed a deep red roe into the pan — sweet, briny, barely sauced, and gone in ten minutes.

Braised Sea Cucumber: A Dish Made of Onions and Patience

A sea cucumber tastes of nothing at all, so Shandong's most expensive dish is built out of scallion oil, four days of soaking, and a cook who refuses to rush either one.

By Zhouyang · Shanghai

Steamed Fish, Cantonese Style — The Dish That Taught Me Restraint

The Fish Arrives Whole The fish lands on the table with one unblinking eye staring up at whoever’s sitting closest to the head. Steam curls off …