Crispy Fried Small Pond Greens from Xiasha

Crispy Fried Small Pond Greens from Xiasha

　　   During the Northern Song Dynasty, a mother and her son surnamed Liang lived in Xiasha Village. They were so poor that their home was practically empty, and their six- or seven-year-old son was thin and sickly from hunger. Seeing how pitiful the mother and son were, their neighbors would often share whatever food they had. As the Lunar New Year approached, the neighbors gave them some flour, another a small piece of pork, some oil, and one even gave them a handful of small pond greens. Mother Liang pondered how she could make a better meal for her son with these ingredients. After some thought, she chopped up the pork and small pond greens together, mixed them with the flour, divided the mixture into small portions, and fried them in oil until golden brown—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, fragrant and delicious. When the neighbors caught the aroma, they flocked to Mother Liang’s home to see what tasty dish she was making that smelled so good. Upon seeing it, everyone praised her ingenuity for creating such a delicious dish from such simple ingredients. Seeing how much everyone loved it, Mother Liang decided to set up a stall, specializing in these crispy fried small pond greens—and they became an instant hit. Gradually, life got better for Mother Liang, and “Crispy Fried Small Pond Greens from Xiasha” became famous.