How Should Fotiaoqiang Break New Ground?
“Its aroma is so tempting that it could entice even a vegetarian monk to forsake his vows and jump over the temple wall for a taste.” That’s why it is called “Buddha Jumps over the Wall” (Fotiaoqiang). It is also a true reflection of this dish: Dozens of ingredients from mountains and seas are simmered in a wine jar, allowing the broth to capture the essence of every ingredient. When the lid is lifted, the aroma is simply irresistible!
Thanks to the symbolism of “completeness” and “reunion” conveyed by its rich ingredients, Fotiaoqiang has become the centerpiece dish at grand banquets in Fuzhou. Dubbed the “No. 1 dish of Fujian cuisine,” it has earned widespread acclaim both in China and abroad as a “delight for the senses.”
However, such a remarkable dish was once hard to enjoy due to the difficulty of its preparation.
“Fotiaoqiang is renowned for its rich ingredients, but this also presents the first challenge in its preparation.” Yang Weihua, the representative inheritor of the “Fuzhou Juchunyuan Fotiaoqiang Making Skills,” a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage project of Fujian Province, recently told the reporter that a single serving of Fotiaoqiang contains valuable ingredients such as shark fins, abalone, and sea cucumber. These ingredients are expensive and difficult to preserve, making them rarely found in household kitchens. In Yang Weihua’s memory, even Fujian restaurants could only begin sourcing ingredients and cooking Fotiaoqiang after customers made an advance reservation.
Additionally, making Fotiaoqiang is no easy feat. “What makes Fotiaoqiang so special is the unique textures and flavors of different ingredients therein. To achieve this, the ingredients must be prepped using specific cooking techniques, such as steaming, frying, simmering, and braising,” Yang Weihua explained. This not only places extremely high demands on the chef’s cooking skills but also extends the preparation time. “From soaking the ingredients to serving it at the table, making Fotiaoqiang usually takes about a week,” Yang Weihua said.
Therefore, although Fotiaoqiang has emerged since the Qing Dynasty, it has been constrained for over a century by factors such as expensive ingredients, time-consuming preparation, and high technical difficulty. However, in recent years, the booming pre-made food industry has opened up new opportunities, allowing Fotiaoqiang to move from specialized Fujian restaurants into ordinary households.
At Fujian Hydewin Marine Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. in Mawei District, Fuzhou, ingredients sourced globally are delivered to the production workshop. After being manually cleaned and cut, they are processed through an automated production line, ultimately becoming cans of pre-made Fotiaoqiang…
Ou Yubin, Chairman of Hydewin, noted that by adopting an industrial development model, they purchase Fotiaoqiang ingredients in bulk, and carefully select high-quality ingredients from around the world, which has effectively lowered the costs of final products. Besides, the company has developed its own automated production equipment, and used a digital system to precisely control each step -- from adding ingredients to simmering, freezing, and packaging -- ensuring that the flavor of each product remains consistent.
“Now our company operates two automated production lines for pre-made Fotiaoqiang, with an annual output of 12 million servings, greatly enhancing production efficiency. Once consumers get the product, they just need to heat it for a few minutes to enjoy a delicious bowl of Fotiaoqiang,” said Ou Yubin.
In recent years, with the rise of domestic e-commerce platforms, various pre-made Fotiaoqiang companies in Fuzhou have launched online sales channels, creating a combined online and offline sales model. Whether shopping in a supermarket or ordering via mobile phone, enjoying Fotiaoqiang at home has never been easier.
As Fotiaoqiang has become more accessible, its food safety has become a new point of concern for consumers. In June 2022, relevant departments of Fuzhou City and Fujian Province, in collaboration with frontline production companies and research institutes, developed and released the Local Food Safety Standards of Fujian Province for Fotiaoqiang. These standards establish guidelines for food safety indicators, ingredient contents, and price controls for different product grades of pre-made Fotiaoqiang, further regulating the business entities involved.
Zheng Lixing, Secretary-General of the Fuzhou Fotiaoqiang Industry Association, mentioned that Fuzhou now has over ten pre-made Fotiaoqiang companies, with the whole industry chain generating an annual output value of about 1.5 billion yuan. These pre-made Fotiaoqiang dishes are even being exported to Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia, and beyond, offering overseas Chinese and expatriates a chance to enjoy the taste of home.
“Alongside producing traditional pre-made Fotiaoqiang, related companies are also developing more peripheral products, such as Fotiaoqiang instant noodles and ready-to-eat meals, making Fotiaoqiang a part of more consumers’ everyday lives,” said Zheng Lixing. As the industry grows, the variety of ways consumers enjoy Fotiaoqiang continues to increase, and the national pre-made Fotiaoqiang industry may reach a 100 billion-yuan scale in the future. (Xinhua News Agency Reporter: Li Haoze)