Tujia Steamed Meat

Tujia Steamed Meat

　　Tujia Steamed Meat is a specialty snack from Yichang, Hubei Province. Every winter, most Tujia families butcher their own pigs raised at home, and the most appealing part is that after the pig is slaughtered, every household makes steamed meat to eat. Almost all Tujia housewives can prepare this specialty dish, and the process is actually quite simple. First, you need to prepare the essential ingredients—cornmeal, fresh meat (including lean, fat, and bones), pumpkin (which can be mixed separately with a little sugar), potatoes (peeled and cut into small chunks), and a small amount of fried chili. Then, mix these ingredients along with some seasonings (such as Sichuan peppercorn powder, chili, monosodium glutamate, etc.) in a large container until everything is evenly combined and the color is close to a neutral tone. Next, place the prepared steamed meat into the special steaming tray used for Tujia steamed meat and put it in a pot to cook. After about half an hour, when steam starts rising vigorously from the tray, it’s ready to eat. The aroma is richly mellow and the taste is wonderfully delicious. It is truly a distinctive specialty of the Tujia people.