Ming Dynasty origins, World War II massacre sites, Republican tombs. There's a lot to see. As usual, however, I take stock of a place by its food.
Nanjing food is decadent. Every member of my student's family, my student excepted, is pleasantly plump. I know they were pulling out all the stops for my visit, but one meal consisted of two kinds of duck, beef, pork ribs, and fish. Here baozi (steamed buns) aren't just bread with meat inside. The dough is prepared to be waterproof so that a salty pork-fat soup can be slurped out on the first bite. Dumplings are similar--the xiao long bao will be served in heaven if there is such a place. Imagine a perfectly boiled dumpling, and inside isn't just your usual pork and green vegetable, but instead a divine soup of seasonings, sugar, and melted fat. I'm glad and sad that I got out when I did. I'd be both fatter and happier now if I'd stayed.
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These baozi have soup inside. Careful with that first bite to avoid orgasm and/or scalding. |
The duck. If "eat it all" is a China motto, then Nanjing is a duck's worst nightmare. A city favorite is ya xue fen (鸭血粉, duck blood noodles). It's superb. Mung bean noodle soup with coagulated duck blood, and duck kidneys/intestines/liver. Nanjing Duck is a salt-cured version, but there also seems to be a roasted duck that is common throughout the city (see the last photo below, one o'clock and four o'clock).
Sweet and salty is the Nanjing way. Hong Shao (红烧, red braised) then, not surprisingly, is a common cooking method here--a braising technique using a special kind of soy sauce and some sugar.
IF you're ready, and I'm not sure you are, here are a couple of decadent hong shao recipes. My student's mom says you need to cook them thirty times to get it right. True that.
Hong Shao Mian Jing Sai Rou (红烧面竞赛肉, red-braised bread ball stuffed with seasoned pork)
I'm not sure about getting mian jing outside of China, but they're common here--golden brown bread-like spheres made of wheat, mostly hollow, and tough.
To about a pound of ground pork, add a hefty amount of minced ginger and spring onions with a little salt. Mix and then add one egg. Stir. The consistency should be similar to a firm bread dough. If it's too thick, add a bit of water or another egg.
Poke each mian jing ball with a chopstick, moving it around to create a cavity in the ball. Stuff the pork inside with chopsticks until the ball is full. Repeat, based on the servings needed.
Put the stuffed mian jing in the wok or pot. Half cover them with water, as for braising. Add a couple of tablespoons of braising soy sauce (as your vendor for hong shao soy sauce; it's more concentrated than the regular version) and the same amount of sugar. Cover the wok and bring to a boil for forty minutes.
Stir every few minutes and spoon the liquid over all the mian jing. Adjust the seasoning at the end if needed.
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Stuffed mian jing are bottom left, with the fish just above it. The rest is two kinds of duck, red-braised beef, some smoked tofu and vegetables. |
This is the fish. It equals the best fish dishes I've had anywhere in the world so far. It's Chinese style, so put away your fish forks and knives. Pick up each piece with your chopsticks, gnaw off the flesh, and spit the bones onto the table. It's not inelegant if you know how to do it properly.
First, however, make the fish. Ribbon fish, long thin and slender, seems to be easily available throughout China. Buy the fish already killed and cleaned, then chop it into two-inch segments, leaving the skin and bones.
Heat a wok and add some soybean or corn oil. When the oil is hot, add the fish, about five segments at a time. Fry each piece until golden brown, turning a couple of times. Remove them from the wok. When all the pieces are cooked, remove most of the oil from the wok and return all of the fish. Add a little braising soy sauce (not more than two tablespoons), and bit of cooking wine, vinegar, and sugar. Also add some chopped green onions, minced ginger, and dried whole red chilies.
Add water to the wok until it half covers the ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook for thirty minutes or until the liquid is reduced and thickening. During cooking, spoon the sauce over the fish every few minutes.