Yan Guan Wang Cai

Yan Guan Wang Cai

　　　　Product Name: Yan Guan Wang Cai

　　　　Place of Origin: Yan Guan, Haining

　　　　Product Category: Pickled Vegetable

　　　　Product Characteristics: The Wang Cai vegetable is small in size, a naturally pollution-free green vegetable. After pickling, it has a crisp and tender texture, a vibrant yellow-brown color, and a delicious aroma, making it very tasty.

　　　　Product Season: Sown in October of the current year, harvested in late March of the following year.

　　　　Product Benefits: Strengthens the spleen, stimulates the appetite.

　　　　Product Description: Due to its unique processing method and selective ingredients, Wang Cai enjoys a high reputation in the Hang-Jia-Hu region. Especially in today’s rapidly advancing food processing industry, the handmade production of Wang Cai offers a distinctive charm. After the Spring Festival, vegetable farmers from Nanbei Wang Village are busy harvesting the overwintered black mustard greens that have been preserved through pickling. Once cut, the vegetables are continuously sun-dried for two to three days until their moisture content reaches around 40%. The withered vegetables are then individually trimmed of yellow leaves and cleaned of roots, weighed, and mixed with salt before being hand-rubbed to ensure even salt distribution and initial moisture release. They are then placed in jars, compacted under pressure, and after one week can be transferred into earthenware pots, packed tightly. The liquid from the pots is drained out, and dried yellow vegetable leaves are placed on top. Finally, the pots are sealed with mud and stored upside down indoors. After the Qingming Festival, they are prepared for distribution elsewhere or opened for consumption after the “Start of Summer”. The fragrance is overwhelming—once you catch that rich aroma, your mouth will instantly water.

　　　　In recent years, as living standards have improved and scientific cultivation methods have ensured a year-round supply of fresh vegetables in the market, the demand for traditional Wang Cai remains as strong as ever, with considerable sales volume. To meet public demand, vegetable farmers in Wang Cai-producing areas not only ensure sufficient planting area but also put great effort into improving the quality of Wang Cai, contributing to the development and production of this traditional vegetable.

　　Product Legend: This is an ancient tale that circulates in the Hang-Jia-Hu area. It tells the story of a married couple where the husband worked in the fields every day. In July, due to the hot and stuffy weather, he came home from work feeling listless and had no appetite. Although his wife tried various ways to improve the variety of dishes, nothing could stimulate his interest in eating. One day, the husband’s younger sister came to visit her sister and, unable to think of anything to bring, took some pickles—Wang Cai—from a jar that had just been opened the day before and brought them to her sister’s house. The sister caught the whiff of the fragrant pickles and guessed that her sister had brought Wang Cai. While handing her sister a fan and pouring tea, she said, “I’ll go to the market to buy some fresh meat to make winter melon stuffed with meat.” She quickly bought the meat, cooked the dish, and waited for her husband to come home for dinner. When the husband returned from the fields and saw the meal on the table, he was greeted by the enticing aroma of the pickles and couldn’t help but salivate. He immediately picked up his bowl and devoured a bowl of rice like a starving wolf. Watching her husband acting out of character, the wife asked with a smile, “Would you like another bowl?” After eating his fill, the husband asked, “Where did this pickle come from? It’s so delicious!” The wife quickly replied, “It’s our hometown’s winter pickled vegetable. I didn’t dare bring it before, afraid you’d make fun of it.”