The tradition of making a side stove has a long history in Guangdong. Chen Xianzhang, a great writer in the Ming Dynasty, was impressed by it and recited a poem in his drunkenness: "Sturgeon party with raw wine, clam soup on the side." What is "making a side stove"

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Wanli's "Shunde County Chronicle" explains it this way: "Eating around the tripod is called a side stove." The Qing Dynasty's "Guangdong Annals" has a more popular explanation: "Eating around a stove during the winter solstice is called a side stove." - As the name implies, that is

A group of people sitting around in a circle means "cooking food".

From this point of view, the Dabian stove seems to be no different from Sichuan and Chongqing hot pot. Cai Lam, a gourmet who thinks that "hot pot has no culture" once commented: "(Dabian stove) can't reach the level of cooking, it just changes food from raw to cooked."

Whether Mr. Cai’s remarks are convincing or not is not yet discussed, but Cantonese people definitely have a soft spot for eating side dishes.

Unlike the Sichuan and Chongqing hot pot, which is heavy in oil and spicy, Cantonese people who love soup often use Laohuo soup as the base for their side stoves at home.

Winter melon, coix seed, Poria and Huaishan... relieve heat and dampness in spring and summer, nourish and dispel cold in autumn and winter.

In terms of food and drink, Cantonese people have inherited health wisdom for thousands of years, which is condensed into the connotation and essence of a pot of side-burning soup base.

Cantonese people are addicted to "freshness", even if they eat side dishes, they cannot do without the word "freshness".

Chaoshan beef balls, Zhongshan crispy pork dumplings, Qingyuan local chicken... Whether it is seafood or ordinary meat dishes, they are all chopped and served immediately, and they are fishy and bloody.

For those who can't accept it, you can dip it in some soy sauce to cover it up; for those who want the original flavor, put it in the soup stock and simply cook it before eating it.

For those with a higher level, even the soup stock can be dispensed with.

Rinse directly with water.

In the lightness, you can feel the vast world in food.

There is no extra fragrant or spicy food, the fish tastes like fish, and the chicken tastes like chicken. Everything is kept simple and returns to the essence. "There is a trick to win without any tricks."

There are even more devout "fundamentalists" who must use charcoal stoves and clay pots to call it authentic.

The gentle and long-lasting charcoal stove and the clay pot with good heat preservation are simply made for side stoves.

Moreover, the "red clay stove" has a more "retro" romance and poetry than modern electrical appliances.

Turn on the charcoal fire and simmer slowly on the side stove, keeping the side stove at a slight boil without burning out the water.

The meat and soup stewed in the charcoal fireside stove are extremely mellow and smooth.

Chicken pot, snake pot, lamb belly pot, goose pot... In addition to the traditional "big stew", these charcoal stoves and clay pots have also spawned many "hot-selling" side stove items.

While eating meat over a charcoal fire, you can also throw a piece of noodle into the pot while the thick soup is boiling. After absorbing the essence of the soup, take a few bites. No matter how cheap instant noodles are, they have another dimension.

Unique flavor.

The aroma of meat, the aroma of soup, the fragrance lingering on the teeth and cheeks... Gaozi said: "Food, sex, and sex." No matter how restrained a person is, facing the hazy temptation of the steaming stove, he probably can't hold back his inner urges.

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Guo Qi and Popularity As a Cantonese dish, Dabian Lu is very particular about its ingredients.

But as a "lower Riba" food culture, Dabianluo also has an "eclectic" side.

In film, television or literary works, the side stove appears many times.

In addition to the most well-known "Infernal Affairs", there is a scene in Wang Anyi's 1996 novel "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" where Mr. Miles and his friends "drank half a ounce of wine, their hearts were hot, their eyes were also hot, and strings of tears fell unconsciously."

"Night talk around the stove" is also a classic description in the novel that has a strong sense of picture and emotional concentration.

As the weather gets cooler, people say that burning a side stove can keep people warm.

This kind of warmth comes not only from the burning of the fire, but also from the "rolling friends" who "support the platform" together.

From this point of view, the most important thing for a side stove is not only to have "pot gas", but also to have "popularity".

Tracing back to its origin, the charm of Dabian stove lies in its simplicity and lack of complexity, its relaxation and lack of tension, and more importantly, the intimacy between people.