Zhong Shuijiao

Zhong Shuijiao is said to date from around 1893 and takes its name from its founder, surnamed Zhong; doing business near Chengdu's Lizhi Lane, it was also called "Lizhi Lane Zhong Dumplings" and stands as the city's representative dumpling brand.

Distinctive for an all-pork filling served with no vegetables and no broth, dressed instead in chili oil and a sweetened soy sauce, it has long been regarded as the authentic standard for Chengdu dumplings and is a recognized China Time-Honored Brand.

The dumplings have thin skins and full pork fillings; once boiled they are lifted into a bowl and bathed in a special chili oil, compounded sweet soy, and mashed garlic, savory with a hint of sweetness and heat, a far cry from the soupy dumplings of the north and a model of Sichuan's red-oil snacks.

As a China Time-Honored Brand, Zhong Shuijiao keeps alive Chengdu's distinctive chili-oil dumpling craft and is often grouped with Long Chaoshou and Lai tangyuan as one of the city's three great snacks.