Yugan Pickled Mustard Greens

Yugan Pickled Mustard Greens

　　The highest and most classic way to prepare this dish is by stewing it — stewing it with meat, using a hot pot, clay pot, or even an ordinary pot. Commonly known as pickled mustard greens with white pork or pickled mustard greens hot pot, it is more elegantly called “blanched pot” or “blanched white pork.” The character “汆 (pronounced cuān)” gives away its meaning at a glance — to enter water — so there must be broth, often a generous amount, taking inspiration from the “Kingdom of Tonga.” Finishing the broth in just a few gulps — now that’s what you call bold. “汆,” when printed on restaurant menus or written on cafeteria blackboards, is often mistakenly rendered as “川.” Well, let it be “川” — it’s not a graduate school entrance exam. Besides, “川” means a large body of water, which fits the principle of having plenty of broth. Its shape also resembles three slices of white pork standing upright — surprisingly lifelike.