Deep Fried 'Ngoh Hiang' Rolls. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As such, the most favored method of cooking is by steaming so that juices are locked in, especially for seafood. A long, slow braising is used to extract the fullest flavors from meats, especially duck, goose and pork. Deep-frying is used, but only occasionally.

Chaoshan cuisine can be roughly divided into street food and formal dishes. The street food is well known and much sought after. Banquet dishes are more localized and not so widely broadcast.

Omelets using sweet potato or water chestnut starches as a base are popular snacks. Toppings may include vegetable marrows, silky gourds or luffa, clams, cockles, prawns or crab.

The most famous is probably the oyster omelet with a savory crisp base of egg and starch and tender morsels of shucked shellfish.