Suzhou, · Jiangsu · Province Techniques

The Jiangnan approach to tofu is fundamentally different from Sichuan — where Sichuan uses tofu as a spice vehicle, Jiangnan treats tofu as the star. Suzhou braised tofu uses firm tofu pan-fried golden before braising in light soy, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, and ginger. The braise is gentler, the sauce lighter, the flavour more delicate. A perfect illustration of the Jiangnan restraint philosophy.

Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish — a Suzhou signature. The fish is scored in a cross-hatch pattern down to the bone, floured, deep-fried until the cuts fan outward like a squirrel tail, then doused with sweet-sour tomato-based sauce. One of the most technically demanding presentations in Chinese cuisine.