In the past, no matter in restaurants and restaurants in Jianghuai, Suzhou, Xichang and Hangzhou, or in the center of Beijing, whenever a state banquet or a high-standard banquet was held, as long as Jiangsu cuisine was the theme to entertain distinguished guests, there was this kind of "oily eel paste". This is my conclusion after reading a lot of historical materials with the theme of Jiangsu cuisine and the menu of state banquets since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Here, I really want to thank my good friends in Beijing Hotel for providing me with first-hand information.
"You Xiang eel paste" is very representative in Jiangsu cuisine, and it is also very common in Zhejiang cuisine. At that time, due to the geographical relationship, the two major cuisines had similarities in many cooking methods and tastes. Because, Jianghuai, Jiangsu, Anhui and Jiangsu cuisine have all come from the same master since ancient times! In the past hundreds of years, China has mostly advocated four major cuisines, among which "Huaiyang Cuisine" includes these areas. The history of the subdivision of the "eight major cuisines" began in the mid-1950s, with only a short period of more than 50 years. This can be seen from 1952' s China Cooking Book compiled by the State Commerce Bureau, which introduced the cuisines in China, while the preface of "An Introduction to China Cuisine" published by the Commercial Press 1935 also showed the division of cuisines in China in that year.
Let's get down to business. The history of "You Xiang eel paste" recommended to you today originated from Suzhou in the south of the Yangtze River. Therefore, after the country subdivides the "eight major cuisines", it is listed as one of the representative cuisines in "Su Cuisine".
In fact, this dish is very simple to cook, and it doesn't need to be fried. Just simmer it. Its simple production method is also the most suitable for making at home. The main methods are as follows: