Panlong Rolled Slices

Panlong Rolled Slices

　　Panlong Rolled Slices, also known as Panlong Dish, is one of the famous regional Hubei dishes served at Yunhe Restaurant and Lao Huibin Restaurant in Hankou. Originating from Zhongxiang County in Hubei Province, it is recorded in the Zhongxiang County Annals and has a history of over a hundred years. There are various local legends associated with it, all linked to Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. In 1521, Emperor Zhengde Zhu Houzhao passed away. With no direct heir or close brothers, the throne was succeeded by Zhu Houcong, the son of Prince Xian of Xing, who was enfeoffed in Chengtian Prefecture (Zhongxiang). Legend has it that Zhu Houcong, fearing that his uncles and cousins—other feudal lords stationed elsewhere—might reach Beijing ahead of him and seize the throne, disguised himself as a prisoner being escorted to the capital. He traveled day and night to get there, and when hungry, he ate a ring-shaped food worn around his neck: an outer layer of egg membrane wrapped around a filling of fish and meat. Once steamed, it held its shape, was convenient to eat, delicious, and not greasy. Another story says that before heading to Beijing, Zhu Houcong bid farewell to his teacher, who then consulted with the chef to prepare an extraordinary dish to welcome the soon-to-be emperor. They used egg as the wrapper and fish as the filling, rolled it into a long strip, steamed it, and then sliced it thinly. The slices were arranged on a plate to resemble a dragon, hence the name “Panlong Rolled Slices,” a dish where you taste meat without seeing it. Some say this dish was created by his teacher when Zhu Houcong visited him on his way back to Zhongxiang to build a mausoleum for his father after ascending the throne. Later, the recipe spread widely and remained popular. Restaurants and eateries in Wuhan improved upon the folk version, turning it into a renowned Hubei dish celebrated for its color, aroma, taste, and presentation. (Wuhan)