Champion's Mixed Stew

Champion's Mixed Stew

　　People’s pursuit of delicious food doesn’t always come from special ingredients. Even the most ordinary ingredients, prepared with common cooking methods, can result in delightful dishes. Green beans, Chinese cabbage, and potatoes are some of the most everyday food staples, yet a simple “mixed stew” has an elegant name in Lingchuan—“Champion's Mixed Stew.” The green beans are snapped into 4 cm long pieces, the tofu is deep-fried and then sliced diagonally into diamond shapes; the potatoes and Chinese cabbage are cubed, and vermicelli, bean sprouts, kelp, tomatoes, and an appropriate amount of meat are also used.

　　 In an iron pot, add an appropriate amount of cooking oil, sauté chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic, then stir-fry the Chinese cabbage. Follow by adding the green beans, sweet potato slices, and bean sprouts in sequence, stirring evenly. Add soy sauce, salt, and other seasonings, then pour in an appropriate amount of broth. Turn the heat to medium and simmer slowly. When the ingredients are about 70–80% cooked, add locally produced crystal vermicelli and cook for another three to five minutes. The nutrients from the various vegetables fully meld during the stewing process. This combination method instantly concentrates the umami of all the ingredients, filling the air with their aroma. This dish is inseparable from a story: historically, Lingchuan produced seven champions and 93 successful imperial examination candidates. Among them, the Wu family alone produced three champions. It’s said that these three champions shared a common love: they enjoyed eating mixed stew with their meals. Whether at home or at banquets, they never went without this distinctive stew. “Champions have loved stew since childhood, and stew helped nurture champions”—this is the origin of the name “Champion's Mixed Stew.” This classic tale is passed down by word of mouth and remains popular to this day.