These 4 villages in Guangdong province put themselves on the culinary map with signature Cantonese dishes, and ‘oil tea’
- Food tourists travel for hours to try goose in a spicy broth, chicken with ginger dip, pork roasted in a well and a drink made with stir-fried herbs
- They are available through the One Village One Product project, which sees villages specialise in one type of produce and serve a dish showcasing it
Food is not only a big part of Chinese culture, it is also one of China’s biggest exports. You’ll find Chinese restaurants in cities all around the world, and even in places as remote as Ilulissat, Greenland.
But the term “Chinese food” is a misnomer. There are in fact many regional cuisines in China, and they can be very different from one another.
Many of the most internationally well-known Chinese dishes are of Cantonese origin, so their roots are in southern China’s Guangdong province.
Guangdong has rivers and a long coastline, along with a moderate climate and fertile soil. That means the region has lots of fresh produce to work with all year round. Cantonese cuisine highlights the original flavour of its ingredients, with steaming and stir-frying being two of the signature cooking methods.
Because ingredients are so central to Cantonese food, sometimes certain dishes can only be sampled in a specific village.
This is why the Chinese government set up a project called One Village One Product, to encourage villages to specialise in one type of local produce and use it to create a signature dish. It is aimed at boosting tourism and generating income for underprivileged villagers.
We set out on a provincial road trip to discover some examples of these villages and their dishes.
