bustling, global metropolis, Shanghai is teeming with international cuisine—but the region’s traditional fare persists in the steamer baskets, bubbling fryers, and massive griddles of its street markets and casual restaurants. For breakfast on the go,. Nestled together in large cast-iron pans, juicy pork-filled are simultaneously pan-fried and steamed, resulting in golden bottoms and puffed, fluffy tops. The secret to the magical soupy filling of ? Gelatin-rich stock that turns to liquid when heated. Variations on this open-faced dumpling abound in China, but Shanghai’s is unique for its sticky rice–based filling. Families celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by sharing mooncakes, circular treats such as , before going outside to view the full moon together. At Lunar New Year, the full moon is observed with a different dish: , glutinous rice pearls filled with black sesame paste and simmered in gingery broth. Sweet or savory , or “crab shell” pastry, gets its name from its crispy, sesame seed–studded exterior, which resembles the shell of a cooked crab. To make shredded white radish is sandwiched between two layers of batter in a deep tin spoon and then lowered into hot oil until the cake releases itself from the mold. a treat native to the town of Gaoqiao, is renowned for the numerous delicate layers of pastry that envelop the cake’s sweet red bean filling: Skilled bakers can form 12 or more layers through careful folding. A once-ubiquitous snack, or “tiger paws,” are increasingly difficult to find in Shanghai but are well worth seeking out for their crispy, syrup-brushed crusts and soft, doughy interiors.
