The ethnic cuisine of Xishuangbanna is unique, with the Dai people's style forming its own distinct system. Basic cooking methods include roasting, frying, steaming, chopping, and pickling, with stir-frying being rare. The flavors are characterized by their aroma, crispness, sourness, spiciness, and freshness. The main dietary habits likely involve rice as the staple food, accompanied by dishes made with a variety of ingredients such as seafood, pork, poultry, vegetables, and wild plants. Among these, hot pot and pickled fish are particularly popular, attracting numerous tourists to sample their culinary delights.
Menghai Roasted Chicken
Menghai roasted chicken uses free-range chickens and camellia chickens raised in tropical rainforests and secondary bamboo forests below 1000 meters above sea level. It is roasted with special ingredients and spices, resulting in a golden-brown color, crispy exterior, and tender interior. The meat is fresh, sweet, and fragrant without being greasy. The chicken tastes best when it's fresh out of the oven; a bite while it's hot releases a burst of flavor. Dipping it in traditional sauce enhances its spicy and delicious flavor. It's also best enjoyed by tearing it apart with your hands for a unique taste experience.
Bamboo Tube Chicken
Bamboo tube chicken is a distinctive dish of the Hani ethnic group in Xishuangbanna Prefecture. With a long history, its primitive and simple preparation method reflects the Hani people's reverence for bamboo culture and nature. Using bamboo as a cooking utensil and chicken as the main ingredient, the Hani people retain the fragrance of the bamboo during cooking. The broth is fragrant and sweet, and the chicken is tender, leaving a lingering aftertaste and showcasing the unique culinary culture of the Hani people. Moss
In Xishuangbanna, moss is prepared as a delicacy by the Dai people and has won over the taste buds of many diners. Its delicious and unique flavor makes it very popular, and it is one of the most representative Dai dishes of Xishuangbanna.
Nammi
Nammi is also a specialty dish on the Xishuangbanna table. Its preparation is extremely meticulous. The ingredients for Nammi are mainly pollution-free, pesticide-free fruits, vegetables, fish, and shrimp, which have both edible and medicinal uses. Through methods such as roasting, grilling, simmering, pounding, chopping, and mixing, the sauce encompasses a variety of flavors including salty, sour, fragrant, spicy, fresh, sweet, and bitter, allowing it to blend perfectly with various foods in the mouth.