As a resort island surrounded by sea, Pingtan boasts a wealth of sea foods. Local chefs prepare seafood banquet using raw materials freshly got from the sea. Their freshness and authenticity are incomparable elsewhere.

Pingtan marine products include groupers, black breams, oysters, sea eels, silver anchovy, clams, mangrove crabs, shrimps, Porphyra and various shellfishes. Local chefs use steaming, frying, stir-frying, quick-frying, and deep-frying as their main cooking methods to produce unique sea flavors featuring “clearness, aroma, mildness and crispness”.

They are rich in styles and flavors, and are popular among young and old.

Fried sea foods with sweet potato flour, also called “Pingtan Seafood Pizza”, is one of the most popular delicacies in Pingtan. Mix sweet potato flour with drinking water until it becomes a smooth paste. Fry the paste with boiling oil on a pan first and then drop the prepared shrimp meat, diced pork, chopped fish, crab meat and roe, cubic sleeve-fish, crispy peanuts, chopped greens and other seasonings. Stir fry it with wooden scoop over low heat until all flour is fully cooked and becomes crystallized. Sprinkle scallion pieces over the pizza before it is served.

The cooking process may seem simple on paper, but the reality is just the other way. Not only are the ingredients plentiful, but they should be added in fixed sequences. The heat control is also very important, as it will lose its genuine flavor if it is overly hard or too soft.

No wonder foodies exclaim every bite is a taste from heaven.