Manchu cuisine uses the traditional Manchu staple foods of millet

Millet

The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...

, broomcorn millet, soybean

Soybean

The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...

 and pea, corn and broomcorn

Sorghum

Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...

. It relies heavily on preserved foods due to the harsh winters and scorching summers in Northeast China

Northeast China

Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...

. Manchu cuisine is also known for grilling, wild meat, strong taste, and wide use of soy sauce

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...

. Manchu cuisine is more wheat based than Han cuisine and relies on pickling

Pickling

Pickling, also known as brining or corning is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine to produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar . The resulting food is called a pickle. This procedure gives the food a salty or sour taste...

 for food preservation.
The typical Manchu dishes include pickled vegetables, Suancai Cuan Bairou, Bairou Xiechang, Manchurian hot pot (Suan Cai hot pot), Suan Tangzi (a sour soup with fermented corn flour), Sachima

Sachima

Sachima, also called Shaqima is a common Chinese pastry found in many Chinese-speaking regions. Each regional cuisine has its own slightly different variation of this food, though the appearance of all versions is essentially the same.-Manchu:...

, Di San Xian, Manchu sausage, Suziyie Doubao, Ludagun (steamed roll made of bean flour) and Niushebing (cake). Manchu Han Imperial Feast

Manchu Han Imperial Feast

Manhan Quanxi, literally Manchu Han Imperial Feast was one of the grandest meals ever documented in Chinese cuisine. It consisted of at least 108 unique dishes from the Manchu and Han Chinese culture during the Qing Dynasty, and it is only reserved and intended for the emperors. The meal was held...

 (Manhan Quanxi) was one of the most representative in Manchu cuisine. This grand imperial banquet combined the best cuisine from the Manchus, Hans, Mongols, Huis

Hui people

The Hui people are an ethnic group in China, defined as Chinese speaking people descended from foreign Muslims. They are typically distinguished by their practice of Islam, however some also practice other religions, and many are direct descendants of Silk Road travelers.In modern People's...

 and the Tibetans

Tibetan people

The Tibetan people are an ethnic group that is native to Tibet, which is mostly in the People's Republic of China. They number 5.4 million and are the 10th largest ethnic group in the country. Significant Tibetan minorities also live in India, Nepal, and Bhutan...

. It included 108 dishes (of which 54 are northern dishes and 54 are southern dishes) that had to be eaten over 3 days. The Manchu palace banquets were subdivided into 6 grades. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades were prepared for deceased imperial ancestors. The 4th grade food was served to imperial family during New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...

 and other celebrations. The grade 5 and 6 were served on all other occasions.

Bairou Xiechang is a soup with pork and blood sausage

Blood sausage

Black pudding, blood pudding or blood sausage is a type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. The dish exists in various cultures from Asia to Europe...

 and pickled Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage can refer to two distinct varieties of Chinese leaf vegetables used often in Chinese cuisine. These vegetables are both related to the Western cabbage, and are of the same species as the common turnip...

. Manchurian hot pot is another traditional dish, which is made from pickled Chinese cabbage, pork and mutton. Suziyie Doubao is a steamed bun, stuffed with sweetened mashed-beans, wrapped with perilla

Perilla

Perilla is the common name of the herbs of the genus Perilla of the mint family, Lamiaceae. In mild climates, the plant reseeds itself. There are both green-leafed and purple-leafed varieties, which are generally recognized as separate species by botanists. The leaves resemble stinging nettle...

 leaves outside.

Sachima

Sachima

Sachima, also called Shaqima is a common Chinese pastry found in many Chinese-speaking regions. Each regional cuisine has its own slightly different variation of this food, though the appearance of all versions is essentially the same.-Manchu:...

, a candied fritter similar to Tartar Çäkçäk

Çäkçäk

Çäkçäk ), frequently anglicized as chak-chak , is a Tatar sweet. It is particularly popular in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, and is recognized as Tatarstan's national sweet in Russia....

is a very popular sweet with many people.