Jade Scale Fragrant Waist

Jade Scale Fragrant Waist

　　History: Jade Scale Fragrant Waist, also known as "Pagoda Fragrant Waist," is said to have originated in the Qing Dynasty. Peng Yulin, a native of Hengyang who rose to the rank of Minister of War, once returned to his hometown to host a banquet. He asked the chef to combine some of Hengyang’s famous dishes and snacks into one dish. The family chef seasoned and cooked Peng’s favorite dishes—such as yellow sparrow meat, fish balls, and pan-fried meatballs—and arranged them layer by layer on a plate in the shape of a pagoda. The dish was excellent in color, aroma, taste, and presentation, and upon being served, it won widespread praise. When guests asked the name of the dish, Peng replied, “This dish was made at my request, but it has no name yet. However, I recall that back in my hometown, there was something called ‘Fragrant Waist.’ You may call it ‘Piled Fragrant Waist’ or ‘Pagoda Fragrant Waist.’” One guest suggested, “Today’s banquet is hosted by Minister Peng, and the dish was created at his request. It would be best to name it ‘Yulin Fragrant Waist.’” Everyone agreed, and thus “Jade Scale Fragrant Waist” became a famous local dish, passed down to this day.

　　 Features: Made by steaming, frying, and stir-frying pork kidney and fish. The finished dish resembles a pagoda, uses a variety of ingredients, and features different cooking methods, each with its own distinct flavor.

　　 Preparation: Peel taro, cut into diamond-shaped slices, marinate lightly with wine and salt, then deep-fry until golden and place at the bottom of a large bowl. Cut streaky pork into thick slices, marinate with soy sauce and wine, steam until cooked, remove, and place on top of the taro. Mash pork fat, mix with water chestnut powder, star anise powder, and salt, shape into balls, deep-fry until cooked, and arrange on top of the pork slices. Cut lean and fatty pork into triangular slices, marinate lightly with wine, salt, and star anise powder, coat with batter, deep-fry until cooked, remove, and place on top of the water chestnut balls. Beat eggs, mix with dry starch and water, and pan-fry into egg crepes shaped like lotus leaves. Separately, mash lean and fatty pork with salt and wine, wrap the mixture in the egg crepes to form egg rolls, steam until cooked, slice diagonally into 12 pieces, and place on top of the fried meat. Mash fish and pork fat separately into fine paste, mix with egg white, salt, and ginger-vinegar juice, shape into several olive-like fish balls, steam until cooked, and place on top of the egg rolls. Add clear meat broth and seasonings, steam for 1 hour, then remove. Clean the pork kidney, slice thinly, mix with wet starch and salt, quickly stir-fry in oil until cooked, and remove. Leave a little oil in the pan, add magnolia slices, mushrooms, kidney slices, and scallion segments, stir-fry until cooked, add seasonings and a little broth, bring to a boil, thicken with wet starch, sprinkle with pepper, drizzle with sesame oil, and pour over the already steamed dish in the bowl to finish.