Fish and shrimp recipes are widely loved in summer
 

Sanxia Noodles made of the heads, roes and main bodies of fresh river shrimps is a popular dish in summer.

The heads, roes and main bodies of the shrimps are carefully separated. Then these ingredients are stir-fried with seasonings, and mixed with boiled noodles with or without soup.

The toppings and noodles must be mixed well. The shelled shrimps are delicate and smooth, while the roes are savory and sweet, and the shrimp heads give a unique aroma.

The Cracking Eel Paste is a famous Suzhou dish. It is made by stir-frying ricefield eels with seasonings, adding chopped caraway and shallot and pouring cracking hot oil on the top before the dish is served.

Another popular summer dish is the dumplings stuffed with stir-fried minced meat and other ingredients. Usually, there is a shelled shrimp on the top. [MORE]

 
Eating cold noodles with sauces in summer is cool!
 

People in Suzhou boil noodles, and then cool them with an electric fan to make them slippery and prevent them from sticking together.

The noodles used to make cold noodles are usually flat, and thicker than those used to make noodles with soup. When boiling the noodles, a little bit oil can be added to the water so that the noodles will look lustrous.

The cooled noodles are mixed with shredded cucumber and carrot, mung bean sprouts and, most important, the sauce, which can vary according to personal preference. Then, mix them well, and enjoy.

Wontons can be eaten in a similar way. After being boiled, the wontons are separated from the water and mixed with sauce, shredded egg crepe and chopped green onion. It is delicious. [MORE]

 
Suzhou-style mung bean soup has a minty flavor
 

Suzhou natives like to drink mung bean soup in a glass through a thick straw. The soup is unique. Mung bean soup is very popular in China as one of the best ways to keep cool and quench thirst in summer. The Suzhou-style mung bean soup is different from those in other places. The ingredients include not only mung beans, but also sticky rice, candied date and wax gourd, kumquat, etc, which are brewed together in mint water. The soup is therefore beautiful and delicious.   In hot days, it is refreshing to have a sip of the Suzhou-style mung bean soup and then a bite of the soft Suzhou-style mint cake. [MORE]