Jilin

Stew made with pork bones, offal, blood, head meat, pork belly, blood sausage, sauerkraut, tofu, noodles

Braised pork with vermicelli, vegetables, potatoes

Stewed deer offal and other less popular pieces of the animal

Stewed chicken, oyster mushrooms and vermicelli

Chuan , especially in the north-east of China referred to as chuan'r (Chinese: 串儿), are small pieces of meat roasted on skewers. Chuan originated in the Xinjiang region of China. It has been spread throughout the rest of the country, most notably in Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan and Jilin, where it is a popular street food. It is a product of the Chinese Islamic cuisine of the Uyghur people and other Chinese Muslims. Chuan are small pieces of meat roasted on skewers over charcoal or sometimes, electric heat. It is also sometimes cooked by deep frying in oil (popular in Beijing). It can be classified as a type of kebab. Chuan was traditionally made from lamb (yáng ròu chuàn, 羊肉串, lamb meat chuan), which is still the most common kind, but now, chicken, pork, beef and various types of seafood can also be used. Especially in some tourist areas, chuan can be found made with various insects, bugs, birds and other exotic animals. In general, chuan may be spiced according to preference, but generally cumin seeds, dried red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper and sesame or sesame oil are sprinkled or brushed onto it. Another popular incarnation is mantou chuan or "steamed bun chuan"; it is commonly brushed with a sweet bean sauce (甜面酱, not to be confused with sweet red bean paste) and its taste serves as a foil to the often spicy meat chuan. In Tianjin and Jinan, chuan is often served with small round breads (馅饼, xiàn bǐng), also grilled with the same spices. Xiàn bǐng technically means "pie" or "filled bread". After cooking the bread and meat, the bread is split open and chuan meat is stuffed inside, then eaten together.

Sweet and sour strips of pork

The Songhua Lake Fish Culture Festival in Jilin features a variety of fish delicacies and includes a Gold Medal Whole Fish Feast, showcasing high-quality fish dishes from the region. This festival runs for nearly two months and highlights the local culinary traditions and fish culture.

Battered and fried pieces of pork

Fried vermicelli is a popular dish in Jilin cuisine, known for its simple yet flavorful preparation. It typically features thin, translucent noodles stir-fried with various vegetables and seasonings, making it a staple in the region's culinary offerings.

Samgye-tang , or ginseng chicken soup, meaning ginseng (Kor. sam) - chicken (Kor. gye) - soup (Kor. tang) in Korean, consists primarily of a whole young chicken (poussin) or quail filled with garlic, rice, jujube and ginseng. Samgye-tang is a Korean traditional soup for body health. Samgye-tang is a representative summer health food. Soup made with chicken that is slightly larger than the chick is called Yeonggye Baeksuk, and the chicken is divided into half is called Banggye-tang. During the Joseon period (1392-1897), people enjoyed the numerous chicken soup dishes that were similar to Samgye-tang, including Yeongye-tang, Chonggye-tang, and Hwanggye-tang. While it was the custom to make a soup with young chicken and serve it to elders during the summer days, the chicken boiled with milkvetch roots and its broth were served to the sick queen during King Injo's reign. However, the description of the dish that most closely resembles today's form of Samgye-tang can be found in Joseon Yorijaebeop (조선 요리제법; 朝鮮料理製法), the cookbook Shinyoung Bang, the professor of Ewha Womans University, wrote in 1917 to compile the information on how to make various traditional dishes of Joseon. In the book, it is described that Dakguk (닭국), or chicken soup, is made by gutting a chicken and stuffing the inside with three spoons of glutinous rice and one spoon of ginseng powder, followed by tying up the opening and boiling the chicken with ten bowls of water. During the Japanese colonial era, the Japanese officials who investigated the cultures of former Joseon noted that rich families boiled the chicken stuffed with ginseng and used the broth as medicine in summer. The dish began to be commercially sold at restaurants around 1940s and under the name Gyesam-tang (계삼탕; 鷄蔘湯) in 1950s, which meant chicken ginseng soup. With the supplying of modern refrigerators in Korea, it became possible to preserve a ginseng as whole instead of powder. Thus, since 1960s, it became more common to stuff the chicken with a whole piece of ginseng instead of powder, reaching today's form of the dish. To emphasize the medicinal effects of the ginseng in the soup, many people since then have started calling the dish Samgye-tang (ginseng chicken soup) instead of Gyesam-tang (chicken ginseng soup).

Crispy sweet and sour pork

Thin-skinned dumplings filled with meat, vegetables and soup

Cold lamian noodles, shredded carrots, cucumbers, eggs and tofu, served with peanut sauce or sesame sauce

Half moon shaped flaky flatbread with a pork filling

Clay pot cooking is a process of cooking food in a pot made of unglazed or glazed pottery. Cooking in unglazed clay pots which are first immersed in water dates at least to the Etruscans in first century BC but likely dates to several centuries earlier. The Romans adapted the technique and the cooking vessel, which became known as the Roman pot, a cooking vessel similar to those made since April 1967 by the German company Römertopf. According to Paula Wolfert, "all Mediterranean food used to be cooked in clay." In the Han dynasty, pots unglazed on the exterior known as fus were used for wet clay cooking.

Jilin's mutton soup is a rich and hearty dish, often enjoyed in winter, featuring bold flavors from ingredients like onion, ginger, and various herbs. It reflects the region's culinary traditions and is typically served hot, sometimes in a hot pot style.

Frog stewed with rock candy

Freshwater fish from the Songhua River

Pork with vegetables and mung bean are served cold, popular in summer

Stir fried pineapple and yam

Three stir fried ingredients, for example, kidneys, pork liver, meat

Steamed whitefish from the Songhua River

Steamed white fish from Jilin, China showcases the delicate, almost translucent flesh of the white fish. The fish is steamed with minimal seasoning, often just salt, ginger, and scallions, to preserve its subtle sweetness and tender texture.

A dish where tofu is coated in egg, lightly fried to achieve a golden crust, then simmered in a flavorful stock. This technique results in tofu that maintains a slight crispness on the outside while absorbing the complex flavors of the stock, making it a beloved part of Jilin's culinary tradition.

Ula hot pot from Jilin, China, is a regional variation of the traditional Chinese hot pot, known for its unique blend of flavors from the Northeast. It typically features a broth made with local ingredients, often including a mix of meats, vegetables, and sometimes seafood or mushrooms, enjoyed communally with a focus on warmth and flavor during cold winters.

A dish with fatty pork and blood sausage

Chicken stewed with mushrooms

Fried egg dumplings

Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures and made into a variety of shapes. The most common noodles are those derived from either Chinese cuisine or Italian cuisine. Chinese noodles are known by a variety of different names, while Italian noodles are known as pasta.

Serve with boiled tea eggs, skewered snacks

Cold lamian noodles, shredded carrots, cucumbers, eggs and tofu, served with peanut sauce or sesame sauce

Rice noodles with sautéed meat and pickles

A dessert where red bean paste is encased in a delicate, snowy white layer made from steamed glutinous rice flour. The contrast between the sweet, smooth bean paste and the soft, slightly chewy exterior creates a delightful texture and flavor experience.