The World Guobaorou Contest is held in Jilin city, Northeast China's Jilin Province, on June 30, 2024. Photo: VCG

The World Guobaorou Contest was recently held in Jilin city, Northeast China's Jilin Province, attracting hundreds of domestic and foreign participants and helping promote the Northeast China's culinary renaissance.

Amid concerns regarding the contest, the Jilin authorities announced the establishment of an office department to take charge of promoting the famous local dish, and the office is called "Guobaorou Office," which has become a hit on Chinese social media platforms.

Made with marinated and battered pork slices, and fried in a sweet-and-sour sauce, Guobaorou is a byword of classic cuisine in Northeast China, and its fame in China can compare favorably with Kung Pao Chicken.

The contest, featuring 286 participants from across China and other countries such as India, South Korea and Singapore, showcased both traditional takes on Guobaorou in addition to more creative flavor profiles.

The participants had to finish a test in the preliminary round, which was completing the dish with traditional flavor, and to those who entered in the final, they had chance to wield their imagination to research the innovative recipe of the cuisine.

After two days of contest, there were 149 participants who received commendation for their creative dishes.

Local authorities confirmed plans to develop the "Guobaorou industry" based on the international contest that will be held regularly in the future, enabling the cuisine to become one of the symbols of the region.

Global Times