'Herring Under a Fur Coat' and puff pastry tower on offer
Sofia Pyrkina from Russia and Luis Guillermo Nicolás Arellano Díaz from Peru display their countries' traditional dishes.
Foreign students from more than 10 countries shared their national cuisines with customers and citizens at a food festival on Saturday.
The annual community food festival of Siping Road Subdistrict was at the Bauhinia Square mall, and featured food stalls of both free traditional cuisines and international dishes.
National highlights included desserts and dishes like Peking duck, peach herbal jelly, sakura green dumplings, and smoked ribs from southwest China's Yunnan Province.
International students of Tongji University shared their home cuisines, while wearing traditional attire.
"It's meaningful to introduce our national cuisine to more people and also to learn about local foods," said Sofia Pyrkina from Russia.
She made the special salad "Herring Under a Fur Coat," a layered salad composed of diced salted herring covered with layers of grated boiled vegetables.
She explained it is a staple at Russian celebrations, especially New Year's Eve, and is cherished for its rich, savory flavor profile.
Bierent Elyse Jieni (right) from France with the French dessert Pièce Montée she baked for the festival.
Luis Guillermo Nicolás Arellano Díaz from Peru spent a whole day cooking Causa, a traditional Peruvian dish which consists of layers of mashed potatoes seasoned with lime and other fillings like chicken.
"I enjoy trying different foods, exploring unique ingredients and cooking methods," he told Shanghai Daily. "Some people have already tried my food and said it's really good."
Bierent Elyse Jieni from France baked the Pièce Montée, an iconic French dessert, often seen at weddings and significant celebrations. The famous French puff pastry, stacked together into a tower, was popular among customers.
"It's great to see friends from many countries and try different, delicious foods," she said.
The festival included a public vote for the most popular dishes, with online influencers and celebrities participating as judges. The dishes from the international students won the "special flavor award".
The Siping Community Food Festival has been held for nine years as an important window to showcase the life and culture of the one of the city's worker's communities that was established in the 1950s, according to the subdistrict, the organizer of the event.
Residents and customers taste the local and international cuisines at the 9th Siping Community Food Festival in Yangpu District on Saturday.
