Winter Radish in Stew

Winter Radish in Stew

　　Xinhua’s winter radish in stew features thin skin and thick, meaty flesh, with chunks as large as soap bars. Placed on the table, they gleam white like fatty meat, yet taste refreshingly delicious—rich but not greasy—and offer digestive, sobering, phlegm-resolving, and qi-regulating benefits. The people of Xinhua cook up a big pot of it for New Year’s Eve and keep eating it right through to the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

　　 Winter radish in stew is delicious, but it comes with a bittersweet backstory. Legend has it that long ago, a poor couple was deep in debt and had no rice to cook by New Year’s. The clever wife went to the vegetable garden, pulled up a big basket of radishes, chopped them into large pieces, boiled them in a big pot, and served them as New Year’s “meat.” The husband and wife took turns offering each other bites, enjoying their meal when suddenly, the debt-collecting landlord showed up. Seeing the white “fatty meat” on the table, he immediately yelled, “How dare you eat meat when you owe me money? Beat them!” He then ordered his men to give the devoted couple a severe beating. But upon closer inspection, he realized the table was covered with plain, oil-free white radishes.

　　 Nowadays, winter radish in stew is cooked with bone broth, simmered over low heat until fully tender, then scooped into a large earthenware bowl. Once chilled, a thick layer of oil forms on top. When served, a bowl is reheated and presented as an essential dish on the New Year’s table for the people of Xinhua.