{"id":26954,"date":"2026-01-09T04:21:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T20:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=26954"},"modified":"2026-01-09T04:21:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T20:21:34","slug":"how-ningbo-cuisines-umami-salty-and-stinky-flavours-reveal-a-rich-culinary-heritage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=26954","title":{"rendered":"How Ningbo cuisine\u2019s umami, salty and stinky flavours reveal a rich culinary heritage"},"content":{"rendered":"


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It is 6am. I am usually still in bed at this hour, but today I am at Xianxiang Market, one of the best places in the Chinese port city of Ningbo for fresh seafood, according to Liu Zhen, my companion and a native of the city, who is also executive chef of Yong Fu Hong Kong, a one-Michelin-star restaurant focused on Ningbo cuisine in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re already late,\u201d Liu says, amused. Unlike us, he is wide awake. \u201cIn Ningbo, fishermen typically go out by midnight, depending on the tide, environment and season. That\u2019s especially true for catching the region\u2019s most popular fish, the yellow croaker. It has to be caught in the dark to retain the golden hue of its skin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Located directly south of Shanghai across Hangzhou Bay, Ningbo is just a two-hour ride away from China\u2019s biggest city on the high-speed rail. For many, the first thing that may come to mind is the city\u2019s famous tangyuan<\/em><\/span> (glutinous rice dumplings). But while pantries in the two cities may share a few key ingredients, Ningbo\u2019s cuisine \u2013 blessed with a natural bounty from mountain, river and sea \u2013 reflects different flavours compared with its more famous neighbour.<\/div>\n
\u201cNingbo\u2019s cuisine can be characterised by three main flavour profiles,\u201d Liu explains as we take a brisk walk into the bustling market, hunting for the freshest seafood for our breakfast. \u201cUmami<\/span>, salty, stinky.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Liu Zhen (left), executive chef of Yong Fu Hong Kong, checks fish at Xianxiang Market in Ningbo, China. Photo: Hei-kiu Au<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A quick scan of the market immediately reveals why salty and umami are core flavours here.<\/p>\n

Rows of what locals call xiao xian<\/em> or \u201csmall seafood\u201d line the wet section: tiny octopuses, baby crabs, small yellow croakers and even smaller shrimps. Do not underestimate their size \u2013 they pack a powerful umami punch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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