Caramelized Chinese Yam

Caramelized Chinese Yam

　　Caramelized Chinese Yam

　　　Caramelized Chinese Yam is a famous vegetarian dish from Dongping County, commonly served at banquets during festivals, weddings, or funerals. It is considered a major dish, second only to chicken, fish, or meat.

　　Its preparation method is:

　　Take Chinese yam

　　600 grams, one egg, a small amount of dry flour, 30 grams of dry starch, 150 grams of sugar, and 500 grams of raw oil (30 grams actually used). Peel the Chinese yam, cut it into diamond-shaped pieces, and toss them in dry flour. Mix the starch with water to form a paste, add egg white and stir well, then coat the yam pieces evenly. Heat raw oil in a pan. Once hot, add the yam pieces one by one and deep-fry until golden brown. Remove and drain the oil. Pour out most of the oil, leaving a little, then add sugar and quickly stir with chopsticks. When the sugar dissolves into a transparent liquid, simmer over low heat until golden brown. Add the yam pieces and stir to coat evenly, then transfer to a serving dish (coat the dish with oil first to prevent sticking). For a crispy texture, dip the yam pieces in cold boiled water before eating.

　　Chinese yam is both a food and a medicinal ingredient. It has a sweet taste and neutral nature, and is known as a qi-tonifying herb in traditional Chinese medicine. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* states that it “benefits kidney qi, strengthens the spleen and stomach, stops diarrhea, resolves phlegm, and moisturizes the skin and hair.” Chinese yam contains saponins, mucilage, choline, starch, glycoproteins, tannins, various amino acids, vitamins

　　C, dopamine, and yam alkaloids, among other components. Modern medicine believes that Chinese yam can induce interferon production, enhance immune function, improve blood flow in the coronary arteries and microcirculation; it also has tonic, strengthening effects, as well as anti-cough, expectorant, and anti-asthmatic properties.