Guilin Local Food and Cuisine

Water Chestnut

Water chestnuts grown in Guilin have thin skin, thick pulp, a milky white color and a sweet taste. They may be eaten as fruit, or included in other dishes.

Mangosteen

Mangosteen is a precious traditional Chinese medicine. The medicine made from its roots and fruit can help clear the lung, reduce phlegm, and improve the spleen.

Fermented Bean curd

Fermented bean curd made in Guilin is yellow in cream color, soft and has a strong flavor. It may be eaten together with rice or bread, or used as a seasoning.

Osmanthus wine

Guilin means "Forrest of Osmanthus". There are many of products made from or are associated with Osmanthus. While in Guilin try some Osmanthus wine. It is very fragrant, and is available in small bottles.

Pepper Sauce

Pure, hot and fragrant, pepper sauce is a traditional food from this region.

Pomelo

Pomelo is a large citrus fruit produced in Guilin is particularly big, sweet and tasteful.

Guilin Rice Noodle

Guilin is famous throughout China for its rice noodle. It is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner by local people. There are many stories about its qualities.

Da Youcha (Oil Tea)

Youcha is a kind of gruel made of sweetened flour and is eaten by the Dong Nationality and other nationalities in northern part of Guilin 's counties. Youcha is made of tea, corn or rice, which are then fried and boiled with Ciba, beans, and peanuts. Youcha is eaten with shreds of ginger, chopped green garlic, pepper powder and other spices. Meat is added to some Youcha and can come with shrimps, small fishe, sausages, pork liver, or other lean meat.

Host and guests will sit around the stove, and hostess makes and serves the Youcha.

Yangshuo Beer Fish

Yangshuo Beer Fish is a most popular amount the locals, and now is a well-known dish all over China. The dish is a little spicy and the aroma of the beer is evident. The ingredients are green and red peppers, tomatoes, spring onions garlic and chili sauce, and most importantly fish and beer. The choice of fish is up to personal taste. Most restaurants use serve Carp Fish and Sword Fish, which are farmed in the Li River.

Lipu Taro Root with Streaky Pork

The taro root which is growth in Lipu County is well-known around China. It was prepared as a tribute to the emperors in past times, and was one of their favorite dishes. People in Guilin use Taro and Streaky Pork as the major ingredients and steam it. Although a little pork fat is visible it is not greasy.

Stuffed River Snails

Eating snails has a long history in Guilin where the snail meat is thick and chewy. Local people like to chop the snail meat into small pieces and add pork and spring onions. After seasoning the ingredient, the meat is stuffed back into the snail shells and cooked on a high heat. It is one of the most traditional local dishes in the Guilin area.

Steam Pork Wrapped with Lotus Leaf

Pork Wrap with Lotus Leaf is a popular homemade dish. It uses lean pork, mung bean flour, Guilin fermented bean curd and with more than five condiments. The ingredients are mixed and wrapped in one lotus leaf and then steamed at high heat. The pork absorbs the fragrance from lotus leaf and is lined to theories from Chinese traditional medicine. This dish is said to be good effect for detoxification and cholesterol.

Zhuang Minority Bamboo Rice

Zhuang Minority bamboo rice uses a flesh bamboo from the high mountains as a container. Hollow Bamboo pieces about 50 centimeters long are stuffed with rice, meat and water and banana leaves used to close opening. The bamboo is roasted in fire until it turns brown. Cut the bamboo skin into thin strips and peel it back like peeling a banana. The rice inside the bamboo is soft and it absorbs the bamboo fragrance.

Duck with Duck Acetic Blood Hotpot

This dish is originally from Quanzhou Country, which is located in the north of Guilin. Liu Zongyuan, a famous poet in Tang Dynasty strong recommended it as his favorite dish. Because of exquisite method for making duck blood, this dish taste a bit spicy and sour, and not greasy at all, it is very popular to order in the restaurant especially in summer.

 

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