Jun'an Large-headed Mustard

Jun'an Large-headed Mustard

　　A comedic line — “Jun'an Large-headed Mustard, every single one is this big” — has been circulating in Southeast Asia for over a century, bearing witness to the long history of Jun'an Large-headed Mustard and the unique creativity behind this snack.

　　Jun'an Large-headed Mustard is generally sown in early July of the lunar calendar, transplanted in mid-August, and harvested in December of the lunar calendar. By harvest time, each head of mustard weighs over four jin (approximately two kilograms). The post-harvest processing involves several steps: cutting, salting, drying, and sealing. When cutting, each head of mustard is first split in half, then each half is sliced into pieces of uniform thickness, about 1.5 centimeters thick, ensuring the pickled slices turn out tender rather than tough. The sliced mustard is first air-dried until softened before being salted. The salted and dried mustard is then sealed for a period of time. Once unsealed, the mustard emits an intoxicatingly fragrant aroma that can be detected even from several streets away.

　　Source: Jun'an Town Government Website