Shark fin soup
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| Alternative names | Shark's fin soup |
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| Type | Soup |
| Place of origin | China |
| Main ingredients | Shark fins, broth |
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| Shark fin soup | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 魚翅 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 鱼翅 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | yú chì | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Fish fin | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Transcriptions | |
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| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | yú chì |
| Wade–Giles | yü ch'ih4 |
| Hakka | |
| Romanization | ng chi |
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Jyutping | jyu4 ci3 |
| Southern Min | |
| Hokkien POJ | hî-tshì, hû-tshì |
Shark fin soup (or shark's fin soup) is a traditional soup or stewed item of Chinese cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine served at special occasions such as weddings and banquets, or as a luxury item in Chinese culture. The shark fins provide texture, while the taste comes from the other soup ingredients. The soup originated centuries ago during the Ming Dynasty. Demand for the soup has increased as income levels of Chinese communities worldwide have risen. International concerns over the sustainability and welfare of sharks have impacted consumption and availability of the soup. Consumption reduced by 50-70% in China between 2011 and 2013.
Shark fin soup dates back to Ming Dynasty China and is considered by Chinese as one of the eight treasured foods from the sea. The popularity of shark fin soup rose in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as standards of living began to improve. The delicacy was coveted by everyone from commoners to the emperors because it was rare and delicious only after a complicated and elaborate preparation. The Qing Dynasty manual of cuisine, the Suiyuan shidan, indicated that the shark fin was eaten as soup, stew, and even as a stir-fry but in all cases the successfully prepared fin was enjoyed for its smooth and supple texture.
Holding both culinary and symbolic significance, the dish is popular at occasions such as weddings, banquets, and important business deals. It symbolizes wealth, power, prestige, and honor. This staple of gourmet Chinese cuisine is believed to be a show of respect, honor, and appreciation to the guests.
Genuine shark fin soup or stew is made with shark fins obtained from any of a variety of shark species. Raw shark fins are processed by first removing the skin and denticles, then trimming them to shape and bleaching to a more desirable colour.
There are two types of the dried form, cooked/skinned (shredded) and raw/unskinned which requires more preparation. Both need to be softened before they can be used to prepare soup.
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Wikipedia