Seafood · FFET10441
Oysters (muli, hao)
Oysters feature in coastal cooking, from fritters, soups and congee to dried oysters and oyster sauce.
Sea fish, shellfish, sea cucumber, seaweed and the dried foods of the sea.
Oysters, also called hao or ke in Chinese, are eaten along the coast, with producing areas and culinary uses in Guangdong and Fujian. Their meat goes into oyster fritters, oyster omelets, soups and congee, and can also be sun-dried or used to make oyster sauce.
What
Oysters are also called hao or ke in Chinese; the meat inside the shell is eaten. They are used fresh, sun-dried as haochi, or processed into oyster sauce.1,2
When
An early written account describes coastal residents taking oyster meat from clusters of shells for food, but the passage has no precise year. For oyster sauce, the earliest available account dates from 1876 and describes reducing the liquid left from boiled oysters into a dark sauce.1,3
Where
Producing areas and culinary uses include Taishan and Zhanjiang in Guangdong, Lau Fau Shan in Hong Kong, and Fuzhou, Putian and southern Fujian.1,2
How
Oyster meat is used in fritters, oyster omelets, thick soups and congee. Sun-dried oysters are called haochi and can also be cooked in congee.2,3
Why
In the Taishan area, a saying lists the traits of a good oyster as large, plump, white, tender and crisp. The meat can also be sun-dried into haochi for other uses.2
Impact and influence
Oysters also contribute to condiment making: liquid left after boiling oysters can be reduced further to make a dark oyster sauce.3