Stir-fried preserved pork with Hongshan vegetable stems

Stir-fried preserved pork with Hongshan vegetable stems

　　Hongshan vegetable stems are red-stemmed mustard greens grown in the Hongshan area of Wuchang. With their deep purple-red color, crisp texture, fragrant aroma, and rich nutrition, they are one of the staple home-cooked dishes in Wuhan during winter and spring, and are hailed as one of the two famous dishes of Chu Tian along with Wuchang fish. A Qing Dynasty writer in the "Han Kou Bamboo Branch Ci" wrote: "No need to fuss over fancy recipes, winter meals at home are fine—sweet glutinous rice balls and rice wine make good New Year’s fare, while bream is plump and the vegetable stems divine." In the late Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi often had people fetch Hongshan vegetable stems from Chu, regarding them as "golden palace jade vegetables."

　　Stir-fried preserved pork with Hongshan vegetable stems is made with great care. The vegetable stems must be selected from those grown around Baotong Temple in Hongshan—they should be fresh and tender, with the main edible part being the stems, which are broken off by hand, about an inch long, then washed and drained. The preserved pork is also sliced thinly, about an inch long, stir-fried first in a pan, then removed, followed by stir-frying the vegetable stems, and finally mixing in the preserved pork before serving. When eaten, the vegetable stems are fresh, tender, crisp, and fragrant, while the preserved pork is mellow, rich, and smooth, offering a uniquely delicious flavor. (Wuhan)