Kuai (dish)

Kuai (Chinese: 膾 or 鱠) was a Chinese dish consisting of finely cut strips of raw meat or fish, which was popular in the early Chinese dynasties. According to the Book of Rites compiled between 202 BCE and 220 CE, kuai consists of small thin slices or strips of raw meat, which are prepared by first thinly slicing the meat and then cutting the thin slices into strips. In modern times, the dishes are more often referred to as "raw fish slices" (生魚片; shēngyú piàn) or as "yusheng" (魚生; yúshēng). The type of fish commonly used in ancient times included carp (鯉) and mandarin fish (鱖), while in modern times salmon (鮭) is commonly used. Sauces were an essential part of kuai dishes, with scallions used for preparation of sauces in spring and mustard seed used for sauces in autumn. According to many classical texts, kuai served without sauces was deemed inedible and should be avoided.