Chongqing's cuisine reflection of its culture

Popularity of the kaoyu dish across China

Beginning of dispute over dish's origin

Govt efforts to preserve authenticity

Complexities of culinary origin disputes

China's attitude towards food

Food's power to connect

The stakes are high. A region’s association with a popular dish is increasingly big business, as the Chinese eat out more.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.

Disputes over where popular dishes originated are common across Asia. The world-famous butter chicken is fought over by two restaurants - one that started out in Peshawar, now in Pakistan, and one in New Delhi, India. In Southeast Asia, neighbours Singapore and Malaysia have also tussled over chicken rice.

It is little wonder that China, given its geographic scale and the incredible richness of its regional cuisines, has its own internal food feuds. 

Kaoyu, or grilled fish, is a regional speciality of Chongqing, made with freshwater fish from the Yangtze River and spices such as mala peppercorns and Chinese chillies.

The dish’s commercial success, both inside and outside of China, has raised questions about its true origin story, with two regions in Chongqing, Wanzhou and Wushan, laying claim to it.

In this episode, host Li Xueying asks Chongqing-based correspondent Aw Cheng Wei to share his journey in tracking down where kaoyu came from, and to get to the heart of why food is so important to the Chinese. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:23 How Chongqing’s cuisine reflects its local environment and culture

4:39 Popularity of the kaoyu dish across China

5:59 Beginning of the dispute over the dish’s origin

8:46 Government efforts to preserve authenticity through industry standards and culinary schools

10:31 The complexities of culinary origin disputes across China and beyond

13:40 China’s attitude towards food

15:42 Food’s power to connect and what it means for China

Read Aw Cheng Wei’s article here: https://str.sg/6y3x  

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR 

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x  

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz 

Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg)

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg 

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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#STAsianInsider

The stakes are high. A region&rsquo;s association with a popular dish is increasingly big business, as the Chinese eat out more.
Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.
Disputes over where popular dishes originated are common across Asia. The world-famous butter chicken is fought over by two restaurants - one that started out in Peshawar, now in Pakistan, and one in New Delhi, India. In Southeast Asia, neighbours Singapore and Malaysia have also tussled over chicken rice.
It is little wonder that China, given its geographic scale and the incredible richness of its regional cuisines, has its own internal food feuds.&nbsp;
Kaoyu, or grilled fish, is a regional speciality of Chongqing, made with freshwater fish from the Yangtze River and spices such as mala peppercorns and Chinese chillies.
The dish&rsquo;s commercial success, both inside and outside of China, has raised questions about its true origin story, with two regions in Chongqing, Wanzhou and Wushan, laying claim to it.
In this episode, host Li Xueying asks Chongqing-based correspondent Aw Cheng Wei to share his journey in tracking down where kaoyu came from, and to get to the heart of why food is so important to the Chinese.&nbsp;
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:23 How Chongqing&rsquo;s cuisine reflects its local environment and culture
4:39 Popularity of the kaoyu dish across China
5:59 Beginning of the dispute over the dish&rsquo;s origin
8:46 Government efforts to preserve authenticity through industry standards and culinary schools
10:31 The complexities of culinary origin disputes across China and beyond
13:40 China&rsquo;s attitude towards food
15:42 Food&rsquo;s power to connect and what it means for China
Read Aw Cheng Wei&rsquo;s article here: <a href="https://str.sg/6y3x">https://str.sg/6y3x</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Read Li Xueying&rsquo;s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iqmR">https://str.sg/iqmR</a>&nbsp;
Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/ip4x">https://str.sg/ip4x</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Sign up for ST&rsquo;s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: <a href="https://str.sg/sfpz">https://str.sg/sfpz</a>&nbsp;
Host: Li Xueying (<a href="mailto:xueying@sph.com.sg">xueying@sph.com.sg</a>)
Edited by: Fa&rsquo;izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa8">https://str.sg/JWa8</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaX">https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>&nbsp;
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>&nbsp;
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>&nbsp;
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#STAsianInsider

Get our uniquely Asian perspective on global issues, with ST’s correspondents from around the world.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.

Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.