Chaoshan Cuisine: Pure, Clean Flavor

An in-depth look atregional fare with an understated profile

Editor's note: To understand China, sit down to eat. Food is the indestructible bond that holds the social fabric together. It is also one of the last strong bonds of community and culture.

The twin cities of Chaozhou and Shantou form the larger Chaoshan region and have been historically linked for more than a thousand years. Modern boundaries now place the region inside Guangdong province, but its historic, linguistic and culinary influences lean more toward neighboring Fujian.