Delicacy for generations: Shandong Crispy Pot

Su Guo, literally translated as "crispy pot", is a mixed stew of meat and vegetables. It is a signature dish of east China’s Shandong Province.

With a shimmering amber color, Su Guo blends crispy, salty, sweet and sour flavors.

It is generally made by placing cabbage on the bottom of a pot, fish, meat, seaweed and lotus roots in the middle, then tofu, enoki mushrooms and peanuts on another layer, and finally cabbage on top, without adding water. The stew is usually cooked for a few hours until the ingredients are crispy and flaky.

Su Guo holds people's hopes for a better life. Tofu in Chinese is homophonic with “blessings”. Cabbage represents “wealth”, lotus roots the connection of family ties, and seaweed strips long-lasting happiness.

As a saying goes, “Each family makes Su Guo, each with its own flavor.” The dish is a memory of taste passed down through generations.