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{{#seo:
|title=Anhui Cuisine (Hui Cuisine / 徽菜) - Chinese Food Wiki
|keywords=Anhui cuisine,Hui cuisine,徽菜,Huizhou cuisine,Anhui food,stinky mandarin fish,Mao tofu
|description=Learn about Hui cuisine, the historic Huizhou cooking tradition within Anhui food, including its regional roots, ingredients, cooking methods and signature dishes.
}}

{{Breadcrumb|parent=Anhui Food}}

{{Infobox food region
| name = Anhui Cuisine
| simplified = 徽菜
| traditional = 徽菜
| pinyin = Huīcài
| image = Stinky Mandarin Fish.jpg
| caption = Stinky mandarin fish, a signature Hui cuisine dish
| parent = [[Anhui Food]]
| cuisine = Hui cuisine (徽菜)
| dishes = [[Stinky Mandarin Fish]], Mao tofu, Huifu Yipin Pot, Wenzheng Mountain bamboo shoots
| heritage = Hui cuisine cooking techniques, national intangible cultural heritage (2021)<ref name="ich-hui" />
| last_verified = 2026-09-26
}}

'''Hui cuisine''' (徽菜; ''Huīcài''), often called Anhui cuisine in English, is the historic regional cuisine of Huizhou. It is one of China's Eight Great Cuisines. On this wiki, this article covers the Hui culinary tradition; [[Anhui Food]] is the broader guide to the province's many city foods, snacks, noodles, teas, liquor and food products.<ref name="mct-eight" /><ref name="ich-hui" />

== Origins and region ==

Hui cuisine developed in historic Huizhou, whose old prefecture comprised one city and six counties across what are now southern Anhui and northeastern Jiangxi. The intangible heritage record identifies Xiuning, Yi, She and Qimen counties, Jixi in present-day Xuancheng, and Wuyuan in Jiangxi as the region associated with the cuisine's techniques. The historic culinary region therefore does not match the modern border of Anhui Province exactly.<ref name="ich-hui" />

Huizhou's mountains, valleys and humid, four-season climate supplied freshwater fish, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, wild greens and other local ingredients. Household preservation methods helped make seasonal and perishable foods available at other times of year. Later, Huizhou merchants carried their home-region food customs and restaurant culture to other parts of China.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques" />

== Ingredients and flavor ==

Hui cooking gives weight to the source, season and part of an ingredient. Mountain produce, river fish, bamboo shoots, tofu and cured or fermented foods appear in the classic repertoire. Ham and sugar may be used to add depth, but there is no single flavor rule that describes every dish or every modern restaurant version.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques" />

Fermentation is especially visible in two familiar dishes. Stinky mandarin fish is salted and aged before it is cooked, while Mao tofu develops a characteristic white surface during fermentation and is often fried before serving. These methods produce different aromas and textures and should not be confused with each other.<ref name="stinky-fish" /><ref name="mao-tofu" />

== Cooking techniques ==

The national intangible heritage record describes a broad repertoire that includes frying, stir-frying, braising, roasting, stewing and steaming, with particular attention to heat control. Gentle and stronger fires are chosen for different ingredients and results. Stewing and steaming can preserve a dish's shape while bringing out a clear, full broth; braising builds color and savory flavor over time.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques" />

Technique is easiest to understand through individual foods: a slow-simmered Huifu Yipin Pot, braised Wenzheng bamboo shoots, fermented and then cooked mandarin fish, or crisp pan-fried Mao tofu. Hui cuisine cooking techniques were added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2021.<ref name="yipin-pot" /><ref name="wenzheng" /><ref name="stinky-fish" /><ref name="mao-tofu" /><ref name="ich-hui" />

For a focused guide to methods across the province, see [[Anhui Cooking Techniques]].

== Representative dishes ==

* '''[[Stinky Mandarin Fish]]''' (臭鳜鱼) – salted and lightly fermented mandarin fish, commonly braised into a savory dish. Its strong aroma is characteristic of the preparation.<ref name="stinky-fish" />
* '''Mao tofu''' (毛豆腐) – fermented tofu associated with Huangshan, usually pan-fried or fried and served with seasoning.<ref name="mao-tofu" />
* '''Huifu Yipin Pot''' (徽府一品锅) – a layered Huizhou casserole with meats, tofu and other ingredients simmered together.<ref name="yipin-pot" />
* '''Wenzheng Mountain bamboo shoots''' (问政山笋) – a seasonal mountain ingredient prepared in a braised Hui-style dish.<ref name="wenzheng" />
* '''Huizhou knife-board cured pork''' (徽州刀板香) – cured pork used in southern Anhui cooking, often cooked with bamboo shoots and other seasonal ingredients.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques" />

These dishes are associated with Hui cuisine, but they do not stand for every local food of Anhui. Huainan beef soup and Bagongshan tofu, for example, belong to the broader province-wide guide and have their own city context.<ref name="huainan-soup" /><ref name="bagongshan-tofu" />

== Local styles and food culture ==

Hui cuisine is linked especially with Huangshan and She County, as well as Jixi in Xuancheng. Local food traditions vary between counties and families; banquet dishes such as Yipin Pot coexist with everyday tofu, preserved foods, vegetable dishes and baked snacks. The repertoire is part of a wider Huizhou food culture shaped by household customs, seasonal life and trade.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="ah-four-regions" />

The protected heritage listing recognizes Hui cuisine cooking techniques and their cultural setting. It does not mean that all foods from Anhui, including northern wheat dishes and Yangtze city snacks, belong to Hui cuisine.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="ah-200-food" />

== Related topics ==

* [[Anhui Food]] – province-wide guide to city specialties and food topics
* [[Anhui Cooking Techniques]] – methods and craft across Hui cuisine and other local cooking
* [[Stinky Mandarin Fish]]
* [[Chinese Food Map]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="ah-200-food">[https://www.shucheng.gov.cn/group3/M00/2D/8D/wKgSG2I2sl-AGT9_AATZfa0hvNU709.pdf First Anhui “Must-Try” Specialty Foods and Snacks selection (200 items)], Anhui provincial tourism selection, reproduced by Shucheng County Government.</ref>
<ref name="ah-four-regions">[https://www.ctnews.com.cn/zt/content/2022-04/15/content_122353.html “A Taste of Anhui” food map], China Tourism News, reporting on the Anhui provincial culture and tourism food program.</ref>
<ref name="bagongshan-tofu">[https://nyncj.huainan.gov.cn/mycp/551759640.html Bagongshan Tofu], Huainan Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.</ref>
<ref name="huainan-soup">[https://www.huainan.gov.cn/zjhn/hntc/1259063166.html Huainan Beef Soup], Huainan Municipal Government.</ref>
<ref name="huangshan-techniques">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zjhs/rwhz/hc/8294043.html Hui Cuisine Cooking Characteristics], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
<ref name="ich-hui">[https://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/23584.html Hui Cuisine Cooking Techniques], China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.</ref>
<ref name="mao-tofu">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11237125.html Huizhou Mao Tofu], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
<ref name="mct-eight">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11339683.html Third China (Huangshan) Hui Cuisine Food Carnival and Industry Development Conference], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
<ref name="stinky-fish">[https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/5ce9832c72c5409ca8875336796958db Ziyun Restaurant], China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.</ref>
<ref name="wenzheng">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11585776.html Wenzheng Mountain Bamboo Shoots], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
<ref name="yipin-pot">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/site/tpl/4636?id=19735&type=food Huifu Yipin Pot], Huangshan Municipal Government, Culture and Tourism Bureau.</ref>
</references>

Anhui Cuisine - Revision history