Stir-fried Mountain Snail

Stir-fried Mountain Snail

　　Mountain snails are cone-shaped, about the size of a little finger, and autumn is the best season to enjoy them. In the Shaoguan area, the method of stir-frying mountain snails is very refined: first, the snails are soaked in clean water to clean them, then placed in cold chicken broth to marinate and feed, enhancing their sweetness and umami. When stir-frying, essential ingredients such as green chili, purple perilla, ginger, and scallions are used, resulting in incredibly fragrant and delicious mountain snails. They can be found in street-side eateries and late-night snack stalls.

　　You can’t visit Danxia Mountain without trying stir-fried mountain snails. These snails are small, pointed, and cone-shaped, about the size of a finger, and available year-round. However, their preparation is quite particular. The premium method involves soaking the snails in clean water beforehand to remove any sand or impurities inside, then marinating them in room-temperature chicken broth to plump up the meat, making it tender, fresh, and sweet. The tips of the snails are then clipped off. During stir-frying, ingredients such as green chili strips, perilla, ginger, and scallions are added, and the heat must be carefully controlled to avoid overcooking—this ensures the snails turn out fresh, sweet, and pleasantly crisp.