Braised pork with osmanthus sugar 01 The second seasoning bottle / cumin, chili pepper, pepper, seven spices / In most families’ kitchens, there are two bottles containing seasoning powder.

The first cruet is salt, which is something that everyone, regardless of race, region, or class, cannot lack.

The second seasoning bottle is interesting. Depending on the region, products, tastes, and even historical evolution, it shows completely different styles: Northwest people use cumin, whether it is dipped in barbecued beef and mutton, or eaten with pancakes

, all rich and sweet.

Although people in Shaanxi can eat spicy food, unlike people in Sichuan and Hunan, chili peppers are not common. Only chili noodles made from chili peppers, cooked sesame seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon bear the responsibility of the kitchen. It can be fried, stir-fried, and fried.

Use, pour a spoonful of hot oil or the famous oil-splashed spicy food.

Shandong chefs used to dry and grind sea sausage into powder. The world-famous Shandong cuisine is said to have conquered the stomach of the emperor of the Qing Dynasty with this seasoning. Unfortunately, the rise of MSG later eliminated the status of sea sausage powder.

The earth fish meal used by the Cantonese people is similar to the sea sausage powder. They call the flatfish "earth fish", which is dried and ground into powder. It is an important ingredient added to porridge, soup, and even stir-fry dishes.

When there is no food at home, a spoonful of earth fish meal, a bowl of water and some minced green onion will make an appetizing soup.

The most popular food in southern Fujian and Chaoshan areas of Guangdong is white pepper. White pepper powder is a must-have when making Laohuo soup, pan-fried oysters, and raw porridge.

A bottle of red onion cake is always available in Taiwanese homes.

The so-called red onions are small, strong-flavored onions that are fried into crispy mince. They are a favorite of braised pork rice, dried pork noodles, and even Taiwanese people’s favorites for making rice dumplings, fried eggs, and cold dishes.

Another example is the seven-spice powder used by the Japanese, the curry powder used by the Indians, and the black pepper used by the French... After these things are spread to other places, cooks will occasionally try them.

But locally, they all appear as a second cruet, a soul mark imprinted deep in everyone's taste buds.

02 Why Jiangsu and Zhejiang like to eat sweets/Geographical determinism and boring personality theory/When you arrive in Jiangnan, the second condiment bottle in most families is sugar.

You read that right, in the Jiangnan region in a narrow sense, that is, the core area of ??Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Hangjiahu, and Shanghai, whether in ordinary households or high-end restaurants, white sugar is definitely the most frequently used condiment besides salt.

Some northern netizens complained: "I went to Shanghai and ordered a "spicy beef noodles". After one bite, I was hit by the smell of alkaline noodles mixed with syrup. It was so sweet that it was so sweet." This is probably a vivid portrayal of the sweetness of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

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Starting from geographical determinism, under the shadow of Siberia in the north, China's climate is generally cooler than that of regions at the same latitude, so sugar has always been a rare commodity from the far south.

For a long time, only royal families and wealthy merchants were able to purchase in large quantities.

In China's richest plains, wealthy businessmen and officials showed their status by "burning money" and accumulated more and more sucrose over time, cultivating "sweet-tasting" Jiangnan people.

Even if sugar is added to stir-fry vegetables, where does the unexpected sweetness appear?

03 Jiangnan with thick oily red sauce/ Soy sauce without sugar is equivalent to picking up girls without kissing/ Thick oily red sauce is the label of Shanghai cuisine. Cai Lam commented that it is "salty and oily". In fact, he missed two words: "salty"

Oily and sweet.”

The soy sauce used in Jiangnan cooking is just soy sauce, and it is not divided into "light soy sauce" and "dark soy sauce" like in Cantonese cuisine.

Sugar is the only way to achieve the bright red color and crystal clear juice of braised pork, braised pork ribs, braised pork sausage, and braised pomfret.

Shanghai, which has 34 Michelin-starred restaurants, has a socialite vibe when it comes to food.

At the same time, the thick oily red sauce that has taken root in this city is not inconsistent at all. Without sugar and soy sauce, Shanghainese seem to have lost the power of happiness.

In fact, housewives not only in Shanghai, but also in the entire Jiangnan area will hold a soy sauce bottle in their left hand and a sugar jar in their right hand.

After pouring soy sauce into the pot, not adding any more sugar is like talking about holding hands with your girlfriend but not kissing her - not interesting enough.

Huzhou’s braised mutton is probably the only way to eat it in the country.

Eight hundred years ago, the Song Dynasty traveled south, bringing with it not only the food customs of Kaifeng, but also Mianyang, Mongolia.

For 800 years, people eating aquatic plants from the south of the Yangtze River have bred "Hu Sheep", which combines the richness of southern mutton with the delicacy of northern mutton, and is best braised in braise.

Add a large amount of sugar and soy sauce and simmer it over slow fire in a wood stove. Huzhou people especially think it is not sweet enough, so they add sugar cane tops to it.

This kind of sweet braised mutton, cut from the bones and served with clear water noodles, is the most delicious delicacy that you can't miss when visiting Jiangnan in winter.

Kunshan's braised hoof bones also have a sweet flavor. It is said that Shen Wansan once served this to Zhu Yuanzhang. The emperor could not use the knife, so he took out a hoof bone, cut the rotten meat into pieces and presented it to him.

The story is of course apocryphal, but "Wan San Tu" still retains the method of stewing it with soy sauce and sugar until it is boneless and crispy.

Essentially, Hangzhou’s Dongpo Pork and Wuxi’s Sauced Pork Ribs are all made this way.