Every vegetarian dish carries nature's essence, offering an authentic and incredibly delicious dining experience. As part of the "Perception of Chongqing - Tasty Chongqing" event, foreign students from Pakistan and Jordan visited the Liangping Shuanggui Rural Vegetarian Experience Center in Chongqing, where they not only savored a vegetarian feast but also learned to prepare Liangping Shuanggui vegetarian dishes under the guidance of Chinese chefs.

Foreign students praise Chinese vegetarian cuisine

"The ingredients are incredibly fresh!" "I love the flavors!" On the morning of December 5th, international students visited the Liangping Shuanggui Rural Vegetarian Experience Center, where they indulged in ten delicious vegetarian dishes.

International Students Taste Liangping Vegetarian Dish（Photo/Land-sea International News Center）

It's worth noting that vegetarian cuisine has been a part of China's traditional culinary culture, originating from the prevailing social productivity of its time and evolving into a lifestyle, dietary trend, and cultural philosophy deeply intertwined with people's lives today.

Vegetarian cuisine can be divided conceptually into modern vegetarian and vegan categories. The Liangping Shuanggui Rural Vegetarian Experience Center offers both vegetarian meals and pre-made vegetarian dishes. Based on Liangping's specialties and using ingredients like bamboo, pomelo, beans, and mushrooms, they have created a combination of 128 distinctive and delicious vegetarian dishes, blending specialty gourmet and home-cooked delicacies. With a development pace of four new dishes per month, the variety of vegetarian options continues to expand.

"Meat" in vegetarian dishes leaves students in doubt

On-site, the students tasted a dish called "Pine Nut Chrysanthemum 'Fish.'" Despite the inclusion of the word "fish" in its name and its ability to evoke the taste of fish, this dish is a completely vegetarian delicacy. It retains the delightful texture of white beech mushrooms and is complemented by tomato chili sauce.

International Students Learn to Cook Liangping Vegetarian Dishes（Photo/Land-sea International News Center）

The "Truffle Vegetarian 'Goose'" takes an innovative approach, using tofu as the outer layer, wrapping it around black truffles, king oyster mushrooms, young bamboo shoots, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms, among other ingredients. It is then skillfully seasoned with five-spice flavors, pan-fried until golden on both sides, and finally sliced, presenting a golden color, goose-like appearance, and a texture resembling goose meat.

Lamp Shadow Vegetarian Shredded Pork is a traditional vegetarian snack with a long history in the Sichuan-Chongqing region. It resembles shredded pork in appearance, with a focus on ingredients and craftsmanship. The authentic Lamp Shadow Vegetarian Shredded Pork is made through complex processes, including marinating, drying, roasting, steaming, frying, and stir-frying, resulting in a spicy and flavorful dish perfect for whetting the appetite.

"Are you sure there's no meat in these dishes?" the foreign students asked repeatedly while tasting. They continued to express their surprise, saying they could truly taste the meat and fish flavors!

Foreign students learn to cook vegetarian dishes

"These vegetarian dishes are not only exquisite but also delicious. How are they made?" After tasting, the foreign students inquired about the preparation of vegetarian dishes and then followed the chef's instructions to make the "All-encompassing Vegetarian Dish."

It is worth noting that the term "All-encompassing" originates from the "Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon," which reads, "So it embraces all things, taking a thousand forms from one." The Liangping Shuanggui Vegetarian "All-encompassing" dish lives up to its name.

International Students Learn to Cook Liangping Vegetarian Dishes（Photo/Land-sea International News Center）

The chef explained that this dish requires ingredients such as Yunnan sweet bamboo shoots, white beech mushrooms, pointed gourds, shiitake mushrooms, and dried tofu. The preparation process demands exceptional knife skills, as the ingredients must be finely chopped and distinctively arranged before being wrapped in spring roll pastry. The dish is then sealed using blanched Chinese leek stems. The dish appears transparent throughout, with its ingredients faintly visible, resembling delicate pieces of jade.

"It is rich in nutrients and promotes gastrointestinal absorption and regulation," said the chef. As they savored each bite, the students could appreciate the lingering aftertaste of the ingredients.

"I never expected that a dish like this would involve so many steps." Guided by the chef, the foreign students proceeded to make the "All-encompassing Vegetarian Dish" themselves and, after tasting, concluded that their creations were the most delicious!

It is reported that the "Perceive Chongqing - Taste the Flavors Across the Globe" event will also select the most representative Liangping delicacies through a voting process. These delicacies will be recommended by the event organizing committee to Chinese embassies and consulates abroad, Chinese institutions, and foreign missions in Chongqing to serve as Chongqing's signature dishes for entertaining important foreign guests while also promoting them online and offline through Chinese overseas institutions.