Nanjing's cuisine is renowned for Jinling cuisine, a style centered in Nanjing and extending to Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province. It is one of the four representative dishes of Jiangsu cuisine. Anciently known as Jingsu cuisine, Jinling cuisine is renowned for its meticulous use of ingredients, meticulous preparation, exquisite craftsmanship, and vibrant colors. It boasts authentic flavors, a mellow taste, firm textures, and tender textures, while being rich but not greasy and light yet not bland. Originating in the pre-Qin period, Qu Yuan recorded Jinling cuisine of the time in his "Chu Ci" (Songs of Chu) during the late Warring States period. It gained renown in the Sui and Tang dynasties, became a distinct style in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and reached its peak during the Republic of China. During this era, Jinling cuisine enjoyed an exceptional reputation and was favored by the upper class and dignitaries.
Egg siomai 蛋烧卖 (steamed egg dumplings) are made by wrapping a thin layer of egg skin around a meat filling made from minced pork, shrimp, and mushrooms. The filling is then wrapped in a round, fried egg skin, forming a siomai-like shape. The dumplings are steamed for about 7-8 minutes. Once cooked, they are smeared with chicken broth and duck fat. The finished dumplings are golden in color, plump in shape, and soft, glutinous, and fragrant.
Salted duck盐水鸭 is a famous Nanjing dish. Duck dishes are popular in the area, and there was once a saying that "Jinling duck is the best in the world." After the Ming Dynasty established its capital in Nanjing, roast duck first emerged, followed by salted duck. This dish uses "osmanthus duck" harvested during the Mid-Autumn Festival in August of that year. After being marinated in hot salt and clear brine, it's hung in a cool, dry place and then boiled in water. The result is a white skin, red meat, fragrant aroma, tenderness, and a unique flavor.
The predecessor of the "Qinhuai Eight Wonders"（秦淮八绝） was Qinhuai-style snacks, officially named in 1987. It doesn't refer to eight dishes, but rather sixteen signature dishes from eight Nanjing snack shops. These are: First, Huangqiao sesame cakes and dried shredded shrimp from Yonghe Garden; Second, beef soup and beef potstickers from Jiang Youji; Third, tofu stew and scallion pancakes from Liufengju; Fourth, duck oil-fried sesame cakes and mixed vegetable buns from Qifangge; Fifth, sesame oil-fried vegetarian dried shredded shrimp and shredded chicken noodles from Qifangge; Sixth, red bean dumplings and five-color cakes from Lianhu Cake Shop; Seventh, smoked fish noodles and thin-skin dumplings from Zhanyuan Noodle House; Eighth, five-spice beans and five-spice eggs from Kuiguangge. In September 2011, the traditional Qinhuai (Confucius Temple) snack making techniques were inscribed on the third batch of the "Jiangsu Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage" list.
