Pixian watercress is produced in 19 original ecological towns, such as Pixian Tangchang, Pitong and Xipu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, with a history of more than 300 years. It has the characteristics of crispy watercress, rich sauce fat, ruddy and shiny red oil, spicy but not dry, moderate viscosity and mellow and long aftertaste.
How is Pixian watercress made? Although its production method is complicated, it has certain requirements for climate and water quality, so it is difficult for us to make it at home, but understanding its production method and process will help us understand the cooking characteristics of Pixian watercress, choose high-quality Pixian watercress, and make Sichuan cuisine with full color and flavor.
Let's take a look at the production method of Pixian watercress!
Materials (finished product 70kg): 22kg of beans (also called broad beans), 53kg of fresh peppers, 5.5kg of flour and 0/2kg of salt/kloc.
Exercise:
1. Wash kidney beans, shell them, cook them in boiling water for one minute, take them out, cool them in cold water, remove crumbs, soak them for three to four minutes, then take out watercress, mix them with flour, spread them evenly in a dustpan, and put them in a fermentation chamber for fermentation, with the temperature controlled at about 40 degrees.
2. After six to seven days, yellow mold grows on watercress, and the initial fermentation is completed.
3. Put the moldy watercress into a clay pot, add 5.75 kg of salt and 25 kg of water at the same time, stir well and turn it over. Turn over the cylinder during the day (that is, stir and turn over the cylinder) and expose to the sun at night (in the open air), but pay attention to avoid the rain.
After 4.40 to 50 days, watercress turns reddish brown. Add the crushed fresh pepper and the remaining salt, stir well, and then store for fermentation for 3 to 5 months, and the bean paste will be completely mature. Good bean paste will take a long time to ferment.
This is the case with high-quality Pixian watercress, which requires not only high-quality raw materials and complex technology, but also natural fermentation for nearly 1 year to absorb the essence of heaven and earth and has a mellow and long taste.