The BEST episodes of Flavorful Origins

#1 - Gluten

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/20/2020

#2 - Gua Gua

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/20/2020

#3 - Niang Pi

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/20/2020

#4 - Souherb

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/20/2020

#5 - Mutton

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/20/2020

#6 - Cooked Chopped Entrails of Sheep

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/20/2020

#7 - Potato

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/20/2020

#8 - Lily

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/20/2020

#9 - Beef Noodles

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/20/2020

#10 - Preserved Radish

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/11/2019

An age-old Chaoshan tradition, the preserved white radish can put an innovative spin on various dishes, from spare ribs to stir-fried squid.

#11 - Flaxseed

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/20/2020

#12 - Oysters

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/11/2019

Steamed, marinated, stir-fried, grilled or dried. A classic in Chaoshan cuisine, the oyster is traditionally cultivated in the town of Jingzhou.

#13 - Hu Tieu

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/11/2019

A quintessentially Choashan staple and a taste of home for many, kway teow (rice-noodle strips) can be stir-fried or wrapped around tasty fillings.

#14 - Chaozhou Mandarin Oranges

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/11/2019

A regional product, the Chaozhou orange can be deep-fried or dried and preserved to make sweet treats, while its peel can be used for zesty seasoning.

#15 - Dairy Products

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/9/2019

Yunnan is known for a variety of dairy products, including Dali rushan: thinly sliced cheese that can be fried, grilled or dipped in honey.

#16 - Seaweed

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/11/2019

To bring out umami and impart the flavor of the sea, the versatile ingredient seaweed can be stir-fried, deep-fried, roasted and sprinkled on soup.

#17 - Puning Bean Paste

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/11/2019

Long ago, migrants from the north brought soybeans to Chaoshan, now home to a unique bean paste featured in many dishes, from spinach to steamed fish.

#18 - Mussels

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/11/2019

Harvested from Nan'ao Island's shores, mussels are a summer delicacy that can be cooked with basil, folded into spring rolls and added to fried rice.

#19 - Lei Cha

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/11/2019

In the Hakka tradition, tea leaves are cooked with fresh herbs, then ground with sesame seeds or peanuts in a mortar to make lei cha, a fragrant drink.

#20 - Beef Hot Pot

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/11/2019

Expert butchers in Chaoshan sharpen their knives to slice premium beef into perfect, marbled cutlets that are juicy, tender, and ready for hot pot.

#21 - Meal of Fish

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/11/2019

Salted, boiled and air-dried in bamboo baskets, the mackerel scad is among many seafoods that make for a chewy, flavorful and simple main dish.

#22 - Galangal

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/11/2019

Galangal arrived in Chaoshan from Southeast Asia a long time ago, imbuing meat dishes like chicken and lamb with a fragrant punch.

#23 - Marinated Crab

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/11/2019

Garlic. Cilantro. Chili pepper. The marinated raw-crab dish varies in style from Puning to Shantou, but it's always fresh and tender.

#24 - Fish Ball and Wrapped Fish

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/11/2019

In Chaoshan, the lizardfish is deboned and pounded to make surimi (fish paste) -- a versatile ingredient with a uniquely smooth and elastic texture.

#25 - Chinese Motherwort

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/11/2019

Known for both taste and nutritional value, Chinese motherwort is blanched and aded to soup and congee as a breakfast favorite.