liuzhou

11. 罗汉果 (luó hàn guǒ) Dried Monkfruit 罗汉果 (luó hàn guǒ), Siraitia grosvenorii*, also known as ‘monkfruit’, is the fruit of a small gourd of the Curcubitaceae family and is nearly all grown in Guangxi. It is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat asthma, bronchitis, coughing, pharyngitis, and sore throats among other ailments. It is believed that it was first used by Buddhist monks some 300 years ago, hence the popular name, which means 'arhat', a Buddhist monk who has attained nivana. The fruit is said to be up to 300 times sweeter than cane sugar, while remaining available to those who are unable to tolerate sucrose for medical reasons such as diabetes etc. It is also very low in calories. It has, so far, proved impossible to exploit fully as a sugar substitute as the plant is difficult to raise and yields are relatively low. Often sold roadside by itinerant vendors, the fruit is nearly always only available dried. The dried fruit has a hard but thin skin, which is easily broken, allowing access to the fruit inside. I’ve only come across monkfruit fresh the one time. Both fresh and dried are made into a type of tea or tisane. Unlike most Chinese medicine, it is actually not unpleasant, although I find it too sweet, but then I'm notoriously bitter-toothed. Fresh Monkfruit The flowers of the plant are also very occasionally available and used to make a tisane, although the alleged effects are much weaker than using the fruit. Quite pretty though. NOTE: This post refers to medical claims made under the TCM belief system. I must emphasise that these claims are unsubstantiated by modern western scientific analysis and no therapeutic benefit has been satisfactorily established. For this reason, it is advised that caution be applied especially in cases involving children or during pregnancy. * Older resources may refer to it by the outdated name, Momordica grosvenori.

I certainly did, too in England. Sadly, not usually, here.

so long as they included the bone, you're good!

That is indeed quite an omission which I did intend to address, but it ran away from me. Unless you are buying a whole live bird (quite possible), it is likely the liver (鸭肝 - yā gān) and kidneys (鸭肾 - yā shèn) will have already been siphoned off. They aren't that easy to find in the supermarkets or markets. I suspect (without any real evidence) that the livers go away to the restaurant trade or to be sold separately at a premium. The kidneys probably go off to Nanjing in eastern China, from where they are dried and sold internationally as a delicacy and as traditional medicine. I understand this trade is less lucrative than before as several countries have banned their import due to avian flu and other concerns. When I have acquired whole ducks (or occasionally found intact innards), the livers have tended to be rather under-developed. I'm not sure at what age the birds are dispatched, but probably too young to develop the full fat opulence of a fois gras or anything near that. I can buy duck (or goose) fois gras, French or domestic, at a price. Braised duck livers are sold as snack food, too - relatively pricey snack food. Believe it or not, they are also sold as pet food. Duck Liver Image from advertisement at https://www.baopals.com/products/597105992987 - but they don't deliver to me.

My gift pomelo turnd out to be of the red fleshed variety - bonus!

Dinner: Steamed pork with roasted glutinous rice crust, pig's ears with green chillies, water spinach and steamed rice. Cordycep and chicken soup.

10. 鸭杂 (yā zá) Duck is the cheapest animal protein round these parts and duck is a huge part of Chinese culture. I’m not talking about the clichés like “Peking Duck”, good as that can be at its best. I’m thinking more everyday duck. The eggs are important. Salted duck eggs are everywhere. 皮蛋 (pí dàn) or century eggs, too are nearly always duck eggs. My boiled egg of a morning is usually a duck egg. Then there is the meat. I'm leaving that for a later post. My title of this section, 鸭杂 (yā zá) literally means ‘duck mixture’ but is also an abbreviation of 鸭杂碎 (yā zá suì) meaning ‘duck offal’. Duck consumption is very much beak to tail, leaving out only the feathers and the quack. Bits of duck I never knew existed (and the duck certainly didn’t) are considered delicacies. All over town there are small shops selling bits of duck. But first lets decide what kind of duck. China has over 30 different duck breeds. Some are thought of as egg layers; others as meat birds; yet others all rounders. Your Peking duck (actually known as 北京烤鸭 (běi jīng kǎo yā – Beijing Roast Duck) is almost always made using the confusingly named pekin duck breed. Yes, the etymology is related. This is the world’s most consumed duck, probably native to SE Asia and first domesticated some 2,000 years ago. The breed was introduced to the UK in 1872 from where it spread to the USA. It is a prolific layer as well as an excellent meat bird. Pekin Duck in Liuzhou Park However, round here a smaller breed is the first choice. I have attempted to get a positive identification of the breed, but everyone I ask gives me a different answer. The Chinese are not very good at species identification. They don’t even know what species of snail is in their city’s most famous dish (but I’ll return to that). Until I meet a qualified anatine ornithologist this picture will have to suffice. Anyway, back to the consumption of the bits. I’ll start with my favourite, then end up at the locals’ favourite (by far). 鸭心 (yā xīn) - Duck Hearts I do like these on toast of a morning. The locals, however, tend to braise them in soy sauce or with 5-spice and eat them as snacks. I can go there, too. Duck Hearts on Toast Proceeding through the bird at random we have: 鸭脖 (yā bó) Duck Necks These too are braised in soy or 5-spice and are gnawed on. Braised Duck Necks 鸭锁骨 （yā suǒ gǔ）- Duck Clavicle (Collarbone) These are braised with Chinese grain liquor (白酒 - bái jiǔ) and dark soy sauce then stir-fried with cumin. There is very little to chew on, but the locals so love a good gnaw. 鸭胗 - Stewed Duck Gizzards 鸭头 (yā tóu) - Duck Heads 鸭舌 (yā shé)- Duck Tongue These make for surprisingly good beer food. Then the favourite locally. People go ape for these. I've never seen the point. 鸭 掌 (yā zhǎng) - Duck Feet They are 'eaten' braised with chilli as pictured or in soups and stews and very often on top of Luosifen (螺蛳粉) Duck Feet with Pickles Duck Feet with Snails Can't make your mind up? Here is a nice plate of mixed duck offal bits and pieces - (鸭杂 (yā zá) Quack.

I like alligator (but not turtle so much) so I'd probably be happy.

Indeed gutted. The skin of most types is at least unappetizing if not actually inedible. I'm sorry but I've no experience of cobra hoods. The gall bladder is fed to dumb tourists in tourist trap Guilin for a steep price. The locals won't touch it.

I've spoken with a couple of people who shared that meal and they remember it as I do. The skin was texturally similar to fish skin but drier. No more gamy than the meat. It was a mild tasting snake. I'd love to find out exactly what variety but the restaurant is being rebuilt. I'm not even sure it's in the same hands. I may have to wait for someone else to get married!

Average round here.

Snakes are usually skinned before being cooked, but the snakes in that soup came with skin on. I don't recall any scales. Sorry. I didn't cook it, so I don't really know. Further investigation is required.

It's the snake's skin. Delicious.

Soy-braised pig's foot, snow vegetable (pickled mixed greens) and broccoli with rice.

These I'd try (in the full awareness that I'd probably be disappointed)

For no particular reason other than friendliness, this pomelo landed at my home this afternoon.

9. 蛇 (shé) 蛇 (shé) – snakes are eaten all over Asia and Africa. Rattlesnakes are eaten in the USA , I’m told. I first ate snake in Italy in 1967. But no one eats more than the Chinese, especially in Hong Kong. And most of the snakes eaten in China (including HK) originate in Guangxi. About 250 km, 155 miles south-east from Liuzhou is the city of Wuzhou which is snake central. A snake repository has existed here for decades and snakes caught all over end up there for identification before being consumed. Originally the repository was set up to study snakes and to supply Cantonese restaurants, but recently it has been renamed and seems to have become a sort of snake theme park. A few years go, I made the acquaintance of a retired chef from one of the local hotel restaurants. Once a year, in retirement, he would take over the kitchen of a local restaurant and invite a bunch of people for dinner. The theme of his meal was always the same – snake. Eight or nine different dishes featuring different snakes. Utterly delicious. He has since passed away. Nothing to do with the snakes. Most people here are terrified of snakes. I tell them that snakes are generally shy and will avoid encounters with man, but if trapped or feel threatened may bite. And I tell them that they aren’t all poisonous, but they adopt the kill first and ask questions later strategy. One friend has no such qualms. Doesn’t stop people eating them, though In fact, the poisonous ones are considered the best (cooking renders the venom ineffective). Pythons are particularly desirable but I’ve also eaten cobras and boa constrictors. Snake soup is a feature of many wedding banquets as it is, for obvious reasons, thought of as a virility symbol, “guaranteeing” that the first born shall have a penis! Snake soup served at wedding banquet - The first-born was indeed a boy! Snakes are sometimes sold in the markets, where they are kept safely in cages. Rarely sold in supermarkets. I occasionally see people selling them on the streets just in sacks. Every year or two someone selling snakes gets bitten and dies. Caged snakes in my local market Snake is used in restaurants as is any other meat. Stewed, stir-fried, etc. Here is one stir-fried dish with Sichuan flavours as served in local restaurant. Also, snake wine is popular, especially with older generations (as it is throughout SE Asia). A venomous snake (or several) will be inserted into a bottle or jar of wine. The wine is then considered to have therapeutic effects on a range of complaints. Care is needed though. Many snakes are able to go into a catatonic state when stressed or trapped and can live for months on little air after seeming to be dead. They occasionally revive and bite wine drinkers. People have died! Chinese snake wine. Now that I think about it, I recall wine (or maybe grappa) with snake in it on that same 1967 Italian trip. Finally, No, it doesn't taste Ike chicken! It tastes like whatever type of snake it happens to be. Some are mildly flavoured; others can be quite gamy. P.S. I was born in the Year of the Snake which may have a bearing on my love of the meat.

Perhaps not .

I have discovered that the majority of quails here are used for pet food - particularly cat food. It seems the locals are only really interested in the eggs. My supermarket stopped stocking them about 5 years ago. That does mean, though, that quails are dirt cheap online. If I buy 20 quick frozen oven ready birds (intended for human consumption), they work out at 86 cents USD each. Buy only 10 and that rises to $1.28. Must check my freezer space.

Lays do do a Mexican Tomato and Chicken chip, at least here in China. See top left.

Good help is indeed hard to find and I haven't found it yet! I need to get hold of a new batch of caltrops and experiment. Probably, I'll get a new tool thrown in which is just as well, because I just realised she may have binned that too. It isn't where I left it!

I presume you are referring to the water caltrops. If you can get them open and like fresh water chestnuts, then you are in luck. You can drop them into soups, stews and hotpots, but most people just eat them from the shell.

A double apology. First, I believe I posted this and was then hospitalised and largely out of contact. No one did supply a guess, which brings me to the second apology. Apologies for posting something so obscure. I guess you don't see many water caltrops round your way. I bought a bunch (they are similar in taste to water chestnuts but a different shape. That tool came with them and is intended to aid in opening the stubborn little shits! Water caltrops I never got to test it as the woman whom I pay to clean my apartment decided she didn't know what they were and binned them while I was in hospital. She also binned my dish draining rack (go figure?), my shrimp knife and at least one oyster knife along with a priceless* piece of artwork that I loved and treasured. My famous half a plate - gone! There may be other things missing. I'm not accusing her of theft; I just honestly think that she has no idea and anything alien to her must be garbage. Including me. I have now binned her. *Some spell that "worthless".

Dinner: 酸菜鱼 (suān cài yú) - Sichuan Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens. This is a classic Sichuan stewed fish special, but not so well-known abroad. It is popular throughout China. Most internet recipes suggest using catfish, which makes sense, but I've often had it with carp or tilapia. It is important to use a fairly firm-fleshed freshwater fish. This is a very spicy dish with facing heaven chilli peppers and copious Sichuan peppercorns, as well as doubanjiang. There is a reasonably authentic recipe here, should you wish to have a go at making it. The only difficulty may be sourcing the pickled mustard greens (which are the heart of the dish) but your local Asian market should be able to supply it. 酸菜 (suān cài) Pickled Mustard Greens I was wary of ordering it as it's normally a large dish meant for sharing, but they did a sensible sized one-man version and were generous with the fish. It was GOOD.

8. 酸肉和酸鱼 (suān ròu hé suān yú) Miao Maidens One of the more unusual gastronomic delights among the ethnic minorities is 酸肉和酸鱼 (suān ròu hé suān yú) - the pickled pork and pickled fish which are essential foods for the Miao and Dong peoples. These are sacrificed in their ancestor worship festivities and also served to entertain guests. Pickled fish and pickled duck are indispensable to wedding receptions, funerals, to welcome new babies etc. A large pickled goose is considered a great gift. More than half of the dishes in a Dong meal will be pickled. You could almost say, for the Dong, if it isn’t pickled; it isn’t food. The following is compiled from various descriptions by Miao and Dong friends so please take it as it comes. I have edited it slightly, but been careful to change nothing significant. For what follows, it is essential, I think, to show you and explain the pickle jars to which it refers. Luckily, I have two to hand! My other is plain glass, so harder to photograph. This jar can contain 5kg of water (1⅓ US gallons), but they come both smaller and much larger. Like most of these jars, it is in three parts: the main container; an internal lid and an external lid. The neck of the jar has a reservoir into which the external lid fits. The reservoir is then filled with water forming an airtight seal. Simple but effective. Pickle Jar Internal View and Reservoir Space With Internal Lid With External Lid and Water to Seal The story: The pickled pork comes in bright colours: the skin is yellow, the fat is milky white, and the lean meat is dark red. Each piece of meat has a few grains of rice or pepper attached, and has a fragrant taste. The skin is crisp, the meat is fresh, the pickling is moderate, and the aroma is pervasive, but pleasant. It tastes refreshing and has no greasy feeling. When eating, the diners sprinkle the pickled meat with dry spice powder. Pickled Pork Cooking Methods 1. Put the raw meat with skin on a charcoal fire. It's better to use pork head meat and remove the bones. Burn the skin and scrape away the blackened results with a knife. The purpose is to remove hair and dirt. Do not scrape with water. After scraping and the skin is golden yellow, then cut into thin slices and placed in a pot. Pour prepared salt, pepper, saltpetre, and dried glutinous rice into the pots of the meat and mix evenly. The usual mix is 40g salt, 25g peppercorns, 10g saltpetre and 100g glutinous rice for 500g fresh pork. 2. Put the washed pickle jar upside down with the mouth of the jar down, and use the smoke from the embers to smudge the jar for 2 to 3 minutes, so that the smoke flavour in the jar is lingering, and then the jar is placed in a positive position. Squeeze the pork meat with the hand and then put a piece of burning red charcoal into the jar on the pressed pork noodles. At the same time, add the jar cover and seal it with water. Place it in a cool and dry place and pay attention to always keeping the jar sealing water sufficient. When the pickling is mature (usually 10 days in summer and two weeks in winter), you can open the jar and eat the meat. 3. Notes A. When the jar is installed, it is not advisable to overfill with meat. It is necessary to leave a certain space. Generally, the meat surface should be 2 to 3 inches from the mouth of the jar; B. During the period of pickling, the lid should not be opened, otherwise air will enter and the meat will be mildewed; C. After removing any food, you should cover the jar quickly and keep the water in the tray so that it is always in a sealed state. Generally, the maximum storage time of pork in the jar after opening the lid is about 3 months. I've posted this before, but it is both informative and amusing (unfortunate typo). Note: 酸 (suān) means both 'sour' and 'pickled'. I prefer 'pickled' for foodstuffs, but I often see it translated as 'sour', as here. Pickled Fish For more on Miao and Dong people and their food see these two topics: and