01x08 - Oysters

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It has tough, coarse shells
and pure, white, plump meat.

Its unique geographic environment
surrounded by a diverse food culture

has let this ingredient from the sea
develop into a local Chaoshan flavor.

CHAOSHAN

ZHUJIANG ROAD, SHANTOU CITY

Zhujiang Road is a food street
in downtown Shantou.

To establish oneself on this street
full of Chaoshan delicacies,

each shop must have
one or two unique specialties.

JUNHUI CHEN

Junhui Chen's eatery has been in business
on Zhujiang Road for 20 years.

His specialty is a traditional dish
from his hometown, Jingzhou.

Jingzhou sits on the eastern coast
of Guangdong...

JINGZHOU TOWN, CHAOZHOU CITY

over 50 kilometers from Shantou.

It has been a key sea farming location
in Chaoshan since ancient times.

Early in the morning,
the tides have fallen.

Stone columns buried deep into the bottom
appear on the sea surface.

In this dense group of stone columns

hides the secret to why
Junhui Chen's eatery is so popular.

Ostreoids, commonly known as oysters,

are a natural delicacy
growing in shallow waters along the coast.

The salinity of the sea around Jingzhou

is perfectly suited
for cultivating big, plump oysters.

Jingzhou locals
have cultivated oysters for 500 years,

hanging oysters in the sea
by ropes fixed on stone columns.

This is how oyster farm fields appeared.

Early in the morning,
the tides have fallen.

It is time to harvest oysters.

CHENGZHI ZHENG

Chengzhi Zheng has to start work
before dawn,

harvesting oysters at top speed.

The tides will flood this area again
in five hours.

Jingzhou oysters are Pacific oysters,

which grow fast and yield high production,
taking only a year to ripen.

Today, Jingzhou produces


The tides rise in the afternoon.

Harvesting work ends for now.

But there is still one crucial step
before oysters go onto dining tables.

In Jingzhou,
the men cultivate and harvest oysters,

while the women
are in charge of processing oysters.

Every day, nearly 10,000 women
do work in cracking open oysters,

around one-third
of the local female population.
Oysters have strong adductor muscles.

Taking out oysters whole and intact
without damaging the meat

requires skillful precision.

Oysters are rich in various amino acids,

being comprised of nearly 60 percent
protein content.

They are called "the milk of the sea."

Oysters produced in Jingzhou
are exceptionally pump

and can grow up to 500 grams,

over two times the size of regular ones.

Due to geographical advantages,
Chaoshan locals can enjoy fresh oysters...

SHANTOU CITY, GUANGDONG PROVINCE

usually caught only eight hours
before consumed.

JUNHUI CHEN

At 4:00 p.m., the processed oysters
have arrived in Shantou.

To keep the original flavor of the oyster,

Junhui Chen doesn't stop for a second.

In marinated raw oyster,

coriander, red pepper, soy sauce,
and fish sauce

are all indispensable.

Chaoshan locals have their own unique
judgement towards flavor.

In their opinion, pepper and white sugar
are a perfect combination.

MARINATED RAW OYSTERS

After sitting for two hours,
the protein in light soy sauce

and various condiments
have completely dissolved

and seeped into the oyster meat.

The plump oysters
have become even more juicy and succulent,

with a hint of sweetness and spiciness.

This kind of marinated raw seafood

is the hometown flavor
that Chaoshan locals can't forget.

Oysters are produced in Chaoshan
and the locals are experts in eating them.

Oysters can be eaten in hundreds of ways.

Simple ingredients
flourish in their hands.

Deep-fried oysters.

Oysters are covered in flour
and fried in a pot.

DEEP-FRIED OYSTER

The crispy flour
unites with the juicy oyster.
A mouthful of flavor,
crispy outside and tender inside.

Steamed oyster.

Select seaweed
from the first crop of the year.

Fish sauce serves as the seasoning medium.

A refreshing and succulent dish is born.

STEAMED OYSTER

Young oysters are also cooked
in a special way.

Yam starch batter, lard, and eggs
are the essential ingredients.

BOMBAY DUCK AND OYSTER OMELET

Add some tender Bombay duck

to make the oyster omelet
even crispier and tastier.

The diverse oyster cuisines
of Chaoshan locals

provide richer experiences
in tasting oysters.

Unlike Shantou locals,

Shanwei locals are accustomed
to making preserved oysters.

Compared to fresh oysters,

preserved oysters have a distinct flavor
due to fermentation.

PRESERVED OYSTER

In early winter,

preserved oysters dried for up to a year
contain even richer flavors.

This chef specializes in cooking
preserved oyster

and plans to use the same ingredient
to cook a completely different flavor.

The long fermentation period
gives the preserved oyster

a richer and sweeter flavor.

Whether pan-fried, roasted,
cooked, or stewed,

it is transformed
through different cooking methods

into rich, diverse flavorful experiences.

Shells are not wasted
after oysters are consumed.

After being punched with holes,
shells are strung together,

then thrown back into the sea
to be breeding grounds for oyster seeds.

This kind of cycle is a rule of the sea
that each oyster farmer follows strictly.

Oyster is a seafood ingredient
loved throughout the world.

Through the cooking methods
of Chaoshan locals,

it has become a local flavor
marked with Chinese characteristics.

CHAOSHAN