1 Stuffed Lamb Intestines
[Ingredients]
Lamb intestines ……………………………………. 1 unit
Green onions ………………………………………. 20 g
Flour ……………………………………………. 600 g
Ginger …………………………………………… 20 g
Salt ……………………………………………… 10 g
Garlic ……………………………………………. 30 g
Five-spice powder …………………………………… 10 g
Rice vinegar ………………………………………. 30 g
[Method]
- Keep the lamb intestines in their original curved shape without turning them over. Flush with water to remove any impurities, repeatedly rinse with water until clean. Wash and chop the green onions and ginger finely. Mince the garlic.
- Take a container, add flour, salt, five-spice powder, chopped green onions, and ginger. Mix well, gradually adding meat broth to form a smooth batter.
- Fill the intestines with the batter until about 80% full, tie the ends with string, and boil in a pot until cooked. Allow to cool, then cut into 3 cm long pieces and arrange on a plate.
- Mix the rice vinegar and minced garlic in a small bowl to make a dipping sauce for serving.
[Key Techniques]
When cooking the stuffed intestines, use a needle to prick several holes on the surface to release internal gases and prevent bursting during cooking.
[Flavor Characteristics]
This is a Halal dish, typical of northern rural home cooking. During festivals and celebrations, the head chef personally prepares stuffed lamb intestines. The success of a meal often hinges on the quality of these intestines, indicating their popularity and importance in gatherings.
2 Stir-Fried Minced Beef
[Ingredients]
Fresh beef ……………………………………. 300 g
Cilantro (small) ……………………………….. 5 g
Soybean flour …………………………………. 50 g
Garlic ………………………………………… 10 g
Glutinous rice flour ……………………………. 20 g
Green onions …………………………………… 5 g
Cilantro (large) ……………………………….. 5 g
Salt ………………………………………….. 10 g
Ground pepper ………………………………….. 1 g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ………………………. 3 g
Lemongrass ……………………………………. 20 g
Chili powder …………………………………… 3 g
[Method]
- Wash the beef thoroughly and mince it finely. Heat a wok with a small amount of oil and stir-fry the minced beef until cooked. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
- Separately, toast the soybean flour and glutinous rice flour until golden. Wash and chop the small cilantro, lemongrass, and garlic finely.
- Place the minced beef in a bowl, add soybean flour, glutinous rice flour, small cilantro, lemongrass, garlic, and chili powder. Mix well, then add ground pepper, salt, and MSG. Stir until thoroughly combined.
[Key Techniques]
- Choose tender lean beef to avoid excessive oil during cooking.
- Stir-fry the beef until fully cooked and aromatic.
- Toast soybean flour and glutinous rice flour over low heat to prevent burning.
[Flavor Characteristics]
This dish is uniquely flavored with a salty, spicy, fragrant, and fresh taste, characteristic of Dai cuisine.
3 Frozen Dish
[Ingredients]
Pig’s head ……………………………………. 500 g
Salt ………………………………………….. 10 g
Pig’s trotters …………………………………. 1000 g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ……………………….. 8 g
Lean pork ……………………………………… 400 g
Amomum tsao-ko powder (Amomum tsao-ko) ……………. 4 packets
Pea sprouts ……………………………………. 200 g
Water ……………………………………….. 5000 ml
[Method]
- Scrub and clean the pig’s head, trotters, and lean pork. Peel the pea sprouts, wash the roots, and cut into 3 cm long segments.
- In a clay pot, bring water to a boil. Add the pig’s head, trotters, and pork. Once boiling, skim off any foam, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Add pea sprouts, salt, Amomum tsao-ko powder, and MSG. Simmer until fully cooked and debone the meat. Cut the meat into pieces, transfer the broth to a bowl, freeze, slice, and arrange on a plate.
[Key Techniques]
Use lean pork with skin for better results. Ensure the pig’s head and trotters are cooked until the meat easily falls off the bone.
[Flavor Characteristics]
The pea sprouts add a clear, sweet fragrance, while the pork is tender and flavorful. This dish is a unique cold dish of the Achang ethnic group, showcasing distinctive flavors.
4 Butterfly Pork
[Ingredients]
Lean pork ……………………………………. 500 g
Banana leaves …………………………………. 2 pieces
Pig’s blood (fresh) ……………………………. 100 g
Salt ………………………………………….. 10 g
Star anise …………………………………….. 3 g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ……………………….. 5 g
Dried chili ……………………………………. 10 g
Clear soy sauce ………………………………… 20 g
Orange leaves ………………………………….. 20 pieces
Red silk ribbon ………………………………… 1 piece
[Method]
- Mince the pork. Toast and grind the star anise. Chop the orange leaves finely. Char the banana leaves over a flame until soft.
- Mix the minced pork, ground star anise, dried chili, salt, MSG, soy sauce, chopped orange leaves, and pig’s blood into a filling. Wrap the filling in several layers of banana leaves. Bury the wrapped package in ash from a special fire for 30 minutes. Remove the outer layers of banana leaves coated with ash. Tie the package with a red silk ribbon into a butterfly knot and serve on a plate.
[Key Techniques]
Select unique ingredients such as star anise, which grows wild in tropical forests, resembling Szechuan pepper but with a richer flavor. Use sour orange leaves for best results.
[Flavor Characteristics]
The fragrance of banana leaves complements the salty freshness of pork, enriched by the robust flavors of spices. This dish is a traditional delicacy of the Kinh ethnic group.
5 Whole Roasted Lamb
[Ingredients]
1 whole goat …………………………………. 10 kg
Amomum tsao-ko (black cardamom) ………………… 50 g
Hot peppers …………………………………. 150 g
Star anise …………………………………… 50 g
Ground Sichuan peppercorns …………………….. 3 g
Chopped green onions …………………………… 20 g
Sliced ginger ………………………………… 150 g
Salt ……………………………………….. 20 g
Soy sauce …………………………………… 250 g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ……………………… 10 g
[Method]
- Skin and clean the goat, setting aside the innards for another use. Wash the meat and innards to remove impurities.
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the goat, ensuring water covers the meat by about 10 cm. Add Amomum tsao-ko, star anise, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until partially cooked. Remove from heat. Cut the front and hind legs into 4 pieces each, and the ribs into 2 pieces each. Arrange them back into the original shape of the goat, laying them on a large wooden platter for serving, to be eaten by hand.
- Prepare a dipping sauce by mixing hot peppers, MSG, soy sauce, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and chopped green onions with some of the original broth. Serve on the side for dipping. Alternatively, mix hot pepper powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, salt, and MSG to make a pepper-salt dip.
[Key Techniques]
Cook the goat until partially cooked; avoid overcooking to prevent meat from becoming too tender.
[Flavor Characteristics]
During grand festivals like the Nadam Fair among the Mongolian people, “Whole Roasted Lamb” is a beloved traditional dish. It boasts excellent presentation and delicious flavor, especially when eaten with the dipping sauce, enhancing its taste.
6 Braised Beef
[Ingredients]
Prime beef ……………………………………. 150 g
Ground pepper ………………………………….. 4 g
Pear strips …………………………………… 100 g
Soy sauce …………………………………….. 50 g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ………………………. 2 g
Vinegar ………………………………………. 50 g
[Method]
- Select the tenderest part of the beef, such as the tenderloin, and cut it into strips 3.6 cm long and 6 cm thick.
- Soak the beef strips in vinegar briefly, then rinse thoroughly with clean water and squeeze dry.
- Mix ground pepper, soy sauce, MSG, and vinegar to make a sauce. Place the beef in a dish, arrange pear strips on top, pour the sauce over, and mix well before serving.
[Key Techniques]
Use only tender cuts of beef, following the principle of cutting beef into thin strips.
[Flavor Characteristics]
This dish is a specialty of the Korean community in Yanji. The beef is tender and flavorful with a balance of sourness, spiciness, and fragrance.
7 Weishan Crispy Liver
[Ingredients]
Fresh pig liver ………………………………… 300 g
Sesame oil ……………………………………. 3 g
Pork caul fat …………………………………. 350 g
Salt and pepper mixture (Pepper-salt) …………….. 6 g
Shredded boiled chicken ………………………… 200 g
Eggs ………………………………………….. 2
Green onion leaves ……………………………… 150 g
Cornstarch (dry) ……………………………….. 60 g
Salt ………………………………………….. 8 g
Cornstarch (wet) ………………………………. 60 g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ………………………. 3 g
Peanut oil ……………………………………. 500 g
Ground Amomum tsao-ko (black cardamom) …………… 3 g
Ground Sichuan peppercorns ……………………… 2 g
[Method]
- Cut the pork caul fat into 26 cm square pieces. Wash the chicken, shred it finely. Wash the green onion leaves, shred them.
- Clean the pig liver, remove veins, and cut into rice grain-sized pieces, slightly chop. Place in a bowl, add salt, wet cornstarch, egg yolks, MSG, ground Amomum tsao-ko, and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Brush the pork caul fat with egg whites, sprinkle a layer of dry cornstarch, spread the pig liver evenly, and roll into a tube shape. Place in an oiled dish, steam for 10 minutes, cool, then cut into 1.5 cm cylinders.
- Heat peanut oil in a frying pan until it reaches 60% heat, fry the shredded chicken until crispy, remove. Fry the shredded green onion until crispy, remove. Raise the oil temperature to 70% heat, fry the pig liver cylinders until golden brown, remove and stack them into a tower shape on a plate. Garnish with shredded chicken and green onion. Sprinkle the edge of the plate with pepper-salt mixture and drizzle with sesame oil.
[Key Techniques]
- When steaming the pig liver cylinders, use high heat for 10 minutes to maintain shape. Extended steaming may affect the shape.
- When frying the pig liver cylinders, use high heat to set the shape, medium heat to cook through, then increase heat to brown evenly for a crispy outside and tender inside.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- Weishan Crispy Liver is a traditional dish of the Yi ethnic group in Weishan County, Yunnan Province. Weishan County has many traditional dishes, and this is one of them.
- This dish uses pork caul fat to wrap liver pieces, shaped like a pagoda. After multiple heating processes, it becomes crispy outside and tender inside, delivering a delightful fragrance.
8 Gan Dan Shen
[Ingredients]
Whole suckling pig …………………………….. 8000 g
Chili powder …………………………………. 100 g
Cilantro (coriander) ………………………….. 50 g
Salt …………………………………………. 80 g
Ginger ……………………………………….. 20 g
Ground Sichuan peppercorns ……………………… 80 g
Minced garlic …………………………………. 20 g
[Method]
- Knock the suckling pig unconscious with a wooden bat, coat it completely with clay, and roast it over charcoal until the clay is dry. Remove the hardened clay coating, open the pig’s body, and remove the internal organs. Rinse the pig thoroughly. Clean the ears, tongue, mouth, feet, heart, liver, lungs, and most of the large intestine, blanch them in boiling water, then dry them over fire tongs until completely dried. Cut them into small rice-sized grains and place them in a bowl. Mix in chili powder, Sichuan peppercorns, salt, cilantro, ginger, and minced garlic. Divide into 10 portions to serve as Gan Dan Shen.
- Cut the suckling pig meat into cubes, boil in boiling water until cooked, and serve on a plate. Each person has a bowl of cold water and Gan Dan Shen. Pour Gan Dan Shen into the bowl of cold water, mix well to create a flavorful broth, and dip the pork meat to eat.
[Key Techniques]
- The meat for Gan Dan Shen must be finely diced, with grains about the size of rice grains.
- The suckling pig should be roasted first and then cooked, ensuring it is just cooked through to preserve its rich flavor.
[Flavor Characteristics]
This dish has a long history and is traditionally straightforward: the animal is stunned with a wooden bat instead of being killed with a knife, and the meat is all roasted over an open flame. Gan Dan Shen is enjoyed by the Yi people of Yunnan, who prefer dipping their food, whether meat or vegetarian, to fully enjoy its flavors. This dish is aromatic, spicy, and deliciously fresh.
9 Pi Gan Shen
[Ingredients]
1 front leg of pork ……………………………. 4000 g
Garlic paste …………………………………. 10 g
Fresh shredded bamboo shoots ……………………. 200 g
Ginger paste …………………………………. 10 g
Chinese chive heads (flowering garlic chives) ……. 200 g
Soy sauce ……………………………………. 80 g
Bean sprouts …………………………………. 200 g
Sesame paste …………………………………. 60 g
Roasted peanuts ………………………………. 200 g
Ground Sichuan peppercorns …………………….. 20 g
Salt …………………………………………. 10 g
Chili paste ………………………………….. 30 g
Sesame oil …………………………………… 20 g
Ground star anise …………………………….. 10 g
Mint leaves ………………………………….. 20 g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) …………………….. 4 g
Cilantro (coriander) ………………………….. 30 g
Baking soda ………………………………….. 2 g
[Method]
- Remove the claws from the pork leg, scrape and wash it clean. Rub evenly with baking soda water, then air dry. Place two steel bars horizontally over a fire, place the pork leg on top, and roast until thoroughly cooked and yellowed. Place bamboo shoots in a bowl, sprinkle with 0 g of salt, knead well, then rinse in water to remove bitterness, and drain. Cut Chinese chive heads into sections. Wash bean sprouts, blanch in boiling water until partially cooked, then cool in cold water and drain.
- Remove bones from the pork leg and shred into a plate. In a bowl, mix garlic, ginger, sesame paste, sesame oil, chili paste, soy sauce, MSG, Sichuan peppercorns, ground star anise, and 10 g of salt to make a sauce. Pour half of the sauce over the shredded pork, marinate for 10 minutes.
- Arrange bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and Chinese chive heads on a plate. Pour the marinated pork over them, then pour the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with mint leaves, cilantro, and roasted peanuts, mix well, and serve.
[Key Techniques]
- Chili paste: a Yunnan method for using chili peppers. Roast the chili peppers near a fire or bury them in charcoal ashes until charred, then crush by hand. This enhances the aroma.
- Dissolve sesame paste in cold water before mixing into the sauce.
[Flavor Characteristics]
Pi Gan Shen is a traditional Yunnan Yi ethnic cold dish. Its distinctive feature lies in roasting the pork leg to crisp the skin while keeping the meat tender. It offers a savory, spicy, and visually appealing dish.
10 Deer Jerky
[Ingredients]
Venison hind leg meat …………………………. 1500 g
Minced garlic ………………………………… 10 g
Granulated sugar ……………………………… 10 g
Salt …………………………………………. 40 g
Ground star anise …………………………….. 5 g
Soy sauce ……………………………………. 40 g
Spring onion segments …………………………. 5 g
Ground Sichuan peppercorns ……………………. 10 g
White wine …………………………………… 50 g
Minced ginger ………………………………… 10 g
Green pine needles segments ……………………. 10 g
[Method]
- Lay green pine needles on the ground and slaughter the deer. After slaughtering, remove the entire skin and cool the hind leg meat. Cut the deer meat into strips, 15 cm long and 4 cm wide, and place them in a basin. In a bowl, mix ginger, garlic, spring onion, green pine needles, salt, soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, white wine, and sugar to make a marinade. Pour the marinade over the deer meat strips in the basin and knead repeatedly by hand until the meat is tender. Cover the basin and marinate for 24 hours. After marinating, hang the meat in a cool, ventilated place to air dry, thus becoming deer jerky.
- This jerky can be prepared in various ways: boiled, fried, or roasted, with roasting being particularly flavorful. Rinse the deer meat thoroughly with warm water, skewer it on small iron forks, and slowly roast until fragrant. Slice and serve on a plate. A taste will reveal its deliciousness.
[Key Techniques]
- Green pine needles impart a rich, fragrant aroma when added to the marinade.
- Marinate the deer meat for 24 hours, then air dry in a cool, ventilated place for about 10 days to achieve the desired texture.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- The deer referred to here is a small species with a compact body, often without antlers or with short antlers. Male deer may have visible canines. They primarily inhabit dense mountain forests below 3000 meters above sea level, especially in pristine broadleaf forests, prevalent in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Weighing between 20-33 kilograms, they feed on wild fruits, grasses, and tender leaves. The meat is delicate and makes excellent jerky.
- Deer jerky is a traditional delicacy of the Yunnan Yi ethnic group, known for its freshness, saltiness, and subtle spiciness, with a satisfyingly crisp texture and lingering aftertaste.