Chaoshan Dried Mustard Greens

Chaoshan Dried Mustard Greens

Chaoshan Dried Mustard Greens is a protected geographical indication product.

　　　　Chaoshan has many food items with the character “贡” (gòng) in their names: “贡菜” (gòng cài, dried mustard greens), “贡腐” (gòng fǔ, fermented tofu), “贡菜脯” (gòng cài fǔ, dried mustard greens strips), “贡豆干” (gòng dòu gān, dried bean curd), etc. Some people interpret this character as meaning “tribute” (as in tribute to the emperor), but that’s incorrect...

　　In restaurants across Guangzhou, the provincial capital, a small dish of “贡菜” is often served before the main courses to “chew on.” This “贡菜” is cut into long, thin strips, appears green, and has a crispy texture. Some say this “贡菜” refers specifically to a certain type of plant, while others link the character “贡” to its use in tributes to emperors. Both claims are mistaken. In fact, the character “贡” is simply a phonetic variation of the character “酵” (jiào, meaning fermentation). There are colloquial expressions in the Chaoshan dialect such as “香到‘贡’倒人” (so fragrant it knocks you out) and “臭到‘贡’倒人” (so stinky it knocks you out).

　　The processing and pickling of food requires fermentation, which the Chaoshan people call “起醅” (qǐ pēi). Fermentation allows microorganisms in the ingredients to grow rapidly, promoting mold and decomposition, which enhances color, aroma, and flavor — as seen in the making of sauces, wine, and pickled vegetables. China has a long history of using microbial fermentation to produce food. The ancient word “菹” (zū) refers to vegetables that have been pickled and fermented. In other parts of China, “菹” is now commonly called pickled vegetables, but only the Chaoshan people call them 贡菜, 贡腐, 贡菜脯, 贡豆干, and so on.

　　Other regions dry vegetable stems or chunkier vegetables, then soak them in saltwater or soy sauce for some days before they’re ready to eat — for example, the small radish pickles from Beijing and the Jiangsu-Zhejiang area. What’s the difference between 贡菜 and regular pickled vegetables? The difference lies in “阴醅” (yīn pēi, shaded fermentation) and “阳醅” (yáng pēi, sun-exposed fermentation).

　　阴醅 involves sealing the food to be pickled inside a container, allowing it to ferment and mature in the “dark.” 阳醅, on the other hand, involves first sealing the food, waiting for it to start fermenting (“起醅”), then placing it under the sun to be exposed to sunlight — “absorbing the essence of the sun and moon” (a common advertising phrase for many “贡”-type foods) — letting it decompose and mature naturally under the sun. The time can be as short as ten days to half a month, as with 贡菜 and 菜脯, or as long as a year or more, as with fish sauce and 贡腐. The advantage of using 阳醅 — “absorbing the essence of the sun and moon” — for pickling food is self-evident: the resulting product is richly aromatic, lightly yellow and bright in color, with a subtle wine-like fragrance that is truly mouthwatering.

　　Although “贡” is not an invention unique to the Chaoshan people, they have taken the character to the extreme, creating many unique “贡”-type foods found only in Chaoshan. 菜脯 (pickled turnip) and 贡菜 (dried mustard greens) are familiar to many, so we won’t discuss them here. Instead, let’s talk about “鱼露” (fish sauce). The raw materials used to make fish sauce are Indian mackerel, croaker, and whitebait — fish sauce factory workers simply call them “巴姑迪” (Bā Gū Dí). Once the raw materials enter the factory, they are first stored in large fish cellars capable of holding hundreds of dan (a traditional unit of weight); after some time, they are divided into smaller fish pits that hold a dozen or so dan; and then, after some more time, they are moved into large fish tanks.

　　The drying area takes up most of the fish sauce factory. Many workers’ daily job is to first check the weather when they arrive at work. On sunny days, they uncover the containers to expose the ingredients to the sun. Workers stir the contents in the tanks with a small paddle from time to time, turning over the fish at the bottom to let them get sunlight. At night, they cover the containers again. This process is repeated for half a year.

　　Through photosynthesis, the fish gradually decompose, with the flesh turning into fish juice and the bones sinking to the bottom of the tank. After boiling and filtering, fish sauce is produced — a unique condiment created by the Chaoshan people. It’s hard to imagine eating oyster omelets without dipping them in premium fish sauce — what kind of flavor would that be? Some say that fish sauce is unhygienic, but authentic fish sauce is actually the most hygienic because its color cannot be achieved with chemical dyes. Instead, it’s a natural “sauce color” made by boiling white sugar, produced by the workers.

　　The Chaoshan people’s ability to take the character “贡” to the extreme is due to Chaoshan’s unique natural conditions. Korean kimchi and Sichuan pickles are also delicious, but they have a slightly “chilly” feel because Korean kimchi and Sichuan pickles are not exposed to sunlight — they are pickled through “阴醅” and do not benefit from “absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.” As for Korea, we’re not too clear, but Sichuan, located in a basin, and Chongqing, a mountain city, lack the weather conditions for “阳醅,” so the people of Sichuan especially long for the sun and love to sing “The sun is out, hey…” The coastal Chaoshan region, located near the Tropic of Cancer, enjoys the special favor of both the sun god and the sea, with sunshine all year round and sea breezes blowing. The clever Chaoshan people naturally make full use of these favorable conditions of time and place...

　　“贡”-branded foods are one of the gifts that the Chaoshan people have “contributed” to the world.