Yangzhou Chopped Meat 2009-01-19 14:57 Yangzhou has a long history. It is one of the first 24 historical and cultural cities named by the State Council. It was also included in the list of world livable cities by the United Nations a while ago. Won the "United Nations Habitat Award". Yangzhou flourished in the Han Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. "Fireworks descend on Yangzhou in March" and "Ten Miles of Spring Breeze on Yangzhou Road" all illustrate the prosperity of Yangzhou in those days. But the real heyday of Yangzhou lies in the Qing Dynasty. It was the salt merchants of the Qing Dynasty who built Yangzhou into a gold-selling cave for wealthy merchants. These gluttonous people also made Yangzhou's food more sophisticated.

When I was in college, I had a classmate from Yangzhou. When chatting, he liked to talk about the food culture of his hometown. For example, Sanding buns, Thousand Layer Oil Cake, Shuangma Crispy Cake, Jade Spring Rolls, Crab Roe Steamed Dumplings, and Cheji Shaomai. In an era when materials were not abundant, just hearing these names made one's mouth water. He said that there is a dish called "Yangzhou Chopped Pork" which is fat but not greasy and crispy in the mouth. Since it is called chopped meat, I think it must be chopped, just like our Changzhou family dish "Roulongsong". But he kept it secret and refused to tell the truth. It is said that "Yangzhou Chopped Pork" was originally called "Sunflower Chopped Pork", which started in the Sui Dynasty, and there is also a classic among them. It is about Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, accompanied by his ministers, visiting the four most famous scenic spots in Yangzhou at that time - Wansong Mountain, Qianqian Dun, Ivory Forest, and Sunflower Hill. When he came back, he asked the imperial chef to cook four dishes with the names of these four places. How to make the dishes in Kuihuagang match the name of the place was difficult for the imperial chef. There was a man named Shang Wu who came up with the idea of ??using two kinds of meat, fat and lean, in a certain proportion. He first chopped it into minced meat and then steamed it in a basket. The steamed meat is fat and translucent, and the thin bulges are like the black and white melon seeds in sunflowers, so it was named "Sunflower Chopped Meat". After listening to this, I finally understood that "Yangzhou Chopped Meat" is actually meatballs, which is now commonly known as "lion head". There is also a legend about the evolution from chopped meat to lion head: In the Tang Dynasty, there was a very powerful minister in the court named Wei Zhi, who was a gourmet. One day, he and two servants saw a hotel with eight signs on the street, which indicated that the restaurant was of high taste, so he decided to go in and have a look. Wei Zhi arrived at the store and was invited upstairs by the waiter. Wei Zhi asked the waiter to call the shopkeeper and said he had something to ask. When the shopkeeper came, Wei Zhi asked, "How dare you hang up eight guises in front of the door?" The shopkeeper said, "My hotel is the best in the capital." Wei Zhi felt that he was talking big words, so he He said, "Then ask your chef to cook the four best dishes. I want to see if it is as you said." The hotel cooked him the four dishes that Emperor Yang of Sui had eaten. When Wei Zhi ate the "Sunflower Chopped Pork", he felt it was soft and fragrant, and tasted particularly good. He asked the shopkeeper the name of the dish. When the shopkeeper told him, he said the name was not good and he wanted to change it. The shopkeeper immediately said flatteringly. "My master spent half his life in the army and made outstanding achievements. He is like a lion. Can this dish be called 'lion head'?" Wei Zhi was very happy after hearing this. From then on, the name "lion head" was passed down and became a famous dish in China.

Nowadays, there is a "three-head banquet" in Yangzhou recipes. The three heads are: braised silver carp head, braised lion head, and grilled whole pig head. Nowadays, there are recipes for "lion head" in various places, each with its own characteristics. In the TV series "Miracle Doctor Xilaile", the country doctor played by Li Baotian especially likes to eat the Cangzhou Iron Lion Head cooked by the proprietress across the street, but it is unclear whether he really likes the "lion head" or the proprietress who cooks the "lion head". knew.

The Chinese New Year is coming soon, are you making lion heads at home? I hope everyone can take advantage of this free time, eat well, play well, and rest well.

The most famous three-headed dish in Yangzhou cuisine

Huaiyang cuisine is characterized by being light, delicious and decent. It is not as sweet and greasy as Wuxi cuisine and Subang cuisine, especially Yangzhou cuisine. "Three heads" are the most impressive.

The so-called "Three Heads" of Yangzhou refers to the most famous Yangzhou cuisine, steamed crab meat and lion head, grilled whole pig head, and braised silver carp head. They are collectively called the "Three Heads" of Yangzhou.

Let’s talk about the steamed crab meat lion head first. It is different from ordinary meatballs in that it is extra large and round in shape, so it is exaggeratedly compared to a lion's head; in addition, its cooking and flavor are also unique, it is not fried, but stewed. Do not add soy sauce when cooking to keep the original color of the ingredients.

The ingredients used are even more particular. The pork must be pork ribs produced in Yangzhou, and the crab meat must be fresh and large fresh water crabs. Chop them finely into small pieces, mix with seasonings, and make large meatballs. Put them in a casserole and serve them on top. Cover with vegetable leaves and stew. When the vegetables are cooked, they can be served. Steamed Crab Meat Lion's Head is clear in color and taste, with the aroma of meat, crab and vegetables. It is tender and delicious, with endless aftertaste.

Let’s talk about grilling the whole pig head. It is a Kung Fu dish with extremely complicated craftsmanship in Yangzhou cuisine. The preparation method of this dish is: take a fresh pig head, scrape and wash it, remove the ears, remove the bones and brain, and soak it in water. After all the blood is gone, blanch it in a boiling water pot for about 20 minutes, take it out, and rinse it in clean water. Then, gouge out two eyes, remove eyelashes and tongue coating, then put the whole pig head into a pot of water and blanch it twice. When it is about seven years old, take it out of the pot and replace the water in the pot. Place a bamboo mat in the pot, top with ginger slices, green onion segments, spice bags, and a little vinegar. Put the pig head in, cover the pot and cook over high heat until cooked through, then simmer over low heat for 4 hours until the meat is crispy and tender, and the soup is Thick and ready to serve. The roasted whole pig head has a strong flavor, sweet and salty, and a strange fragrance. It has the reputation of "eating as the years go by, the fragrance lingers on the teeth and cheeks".

Braised silver carp head. There is a proverb in Yangzhou: "Silver carp eats the head, herring eats the tail, and ducks eat the thighs." Yangzhou silver carp has a lot of gum juice, fat and velvety meat, and no earthy smell. After winter, the meat of large silver carp is even more tender and plump. The cooking process of this dish is not complicated. Remove the bones of large silver carp heads of more than 5 kilograms and put them into the pot with tofu, add chicken gizzards, chicken legs, ham, etc., add water, and stew over civil and military fire for about 3 hours. Braised silver carp head, the fish head has no bones, tastes fat and tender, the soup is thick and white, and the nutritional value is extremely high. Use a spoon instead of chopsticks when eating, which has a unique flavor