Smelly Mandarin Fish (Chou Guiyu)
Smelly mandarin fish gets its name because the live fish has a slimy smelly skin that deters predators. However, despite the name, it is a dish famous for its good taste and aroma. It features the Mandarin fish from the Xin'an River. After salting, it is braised in soy sauce. The dish has a history of more than two hundred years and has maintained its popularity, with the name mandarin fish appearing in many pieces of Chinese literature.
Mao Tofu
Mao tofu is also called Huizhou funky bean curd. "The taste is much better than the smell," people say. It is a traditional snack in Huangshan area, and could be considered as the Chinese alternative to a Stilton or Camembert cheese. According to legends, Zhu Yuanzhang, founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, once was defeated in Huizhou and escaped to Xiuning County. His soldiers found the barmy Tofu hidden in the mow and offered to him to overcome his hungry tummy. Zhu Yuanzhang was surprised by its smell and odd appearance but it tasted good, afterwards, he lead success in the following battles and rewarded the army with the kind of Tofu.
Yellow Crab Shell Cake
Yellow crab shell cake uses first-class funky dried vegetables and fresh fatty meat as fillings. Then it is slowly roasted in a specially-made oven with a charcoal fire. It gets the name "yellow crab shell cake" because its color looks like the yellow of a boiled crab shell. It is an ideal breakfast or snack. You should definitely try it.
Stewed Soft-shelled Turtle in Clear Soup
Also known as Ham and Turtle soup, this dish is one of the oldest traditional dishes in Anhui Province. It uses soft-shelled turtles from the mountainous areas near Huangshan. The dish's main ingredients consist of an entire soft-shelled turtle, ham, bamboo shoots, garlic, ginger, black pepper, and salt. The ingredients are all stewed together over a charcoal fire. This traditional Hui Cuisine dish is famous throughout China.