TIANMEN THREE STEAMED DISHES

Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes

　　The “Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes” are said to have a history of nearly two thousand years. Originally, farmers living on the Jianghan Plain, facing constant famines and frequent wars, had little to eat. To fill their stomachs, they would grind a small amount of grain into powder and mix it with wild vegetables to make a paste for sustenance. Later, they began steaming wild vegetables (such as shepherd’s purse) or homegrown vegetables (like chrysanthemum greens, Chinese cabbage, and radishes) mixed with grain powder and seasonings in bamboo steamers or steam pots. As living conditions improved, they gradually started mixing grain powder and seasonings with meat (such as pork, chicken, beef, and fish) before steaming it.

　　However, the above steaming method is just one type of the “Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes”—the “powder-steamed” variety. Among the most representative dishes are powder-steamed chrysanthemum greens, which are vibrant green, fragrant, tender, and soft; powder-steamed pork, which has a brownish-red hue, delicious taste, and is rich without being greasy; powder-steamed chicken chunks, which are slightly yellow, tender, and aromatic; and powder-steamed soft-shelled turtle, which has a harmonious color, tender flesh, and a rich, gelatinous taste—it has even been included in the *Chinese Famous Dishes Collection*. Another famous dish in Tianmen, known as “bamboo shoot fighting the tiger” or the “table-pressing dish,” is made by mixing lotus root and pork with rice flour and seasonings, then steaming it. This dish combines the fragrant softness of lotus root with the smoothness of pork.

　　Another steaming method of the “Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes”—“clear-steamed”—involves placing food in a broth (or water) seasoned with spices, then steaming it. The most representative dishes are clear-steamed whole chicken and clear-steamed bream. These dishes retain their original shape and color, with tender, boneless meat that is rich and delicious. Clear-steamed soft-shelled turtle features a clear, flavorful broth, tender turtle skirt, and soft, tasty meat. Clear-steamed eel has smooth, tender flesh and a strong aroma, and it has been included in the *Chinese Dishes Collection*.

　　There is also a third method of preparing the “Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes”—“pounded-steamed.” This technique is said to be practiced by only a few chefs in Tianmen today. It involves coating scale-less fish in hot oil during the powder-steaming process to create blistered bubbles on the skin. The most representative dish is pounded-steamed eel, particularly well-made in the Gan Yi region—its texture is smooth and refreshing, richly flavorful, and truly appetizing with an unforgettable aftertaste. As for what we often encounter, or what some “Three Steamed Dishes restaurants” widely promote as “steamed meat, steamed fish, steamed vegetables” or “meat-steamed (meat and fish), vegetable-steamed (vegetables), and mixed-steamed (a combination of meat, fish, and vegetables, now popular in areas like Duobao and Hushi, where ‘shaking the steamer tray’ is the most distinctive mixed-steamed dish)”—these are merely the ingredients or final products of the powder-steamed method, not the full essence of the “Three Steamed Dishes.”

　　Today, aside from “pounded-steamed,” the other two methods of the “Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes” can be said to be prepared by nearly every household in Tianmen, and all do it authentically. This proves that the “Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes” truly live up to their name. May the “Tianmen Three Steamed Dishes” continue to delight with their fragrance for generations to come.