Hezhou Stuffed Dishes

Hezhou Stuffed Dishes

　　Hezhou’s stuffed dishes also boast distinct regional characteristics. For example, the tofu stuffing from Daning must be made with tofu produced using water from the Ningjiang River to achieve its unique flavor. Legend has it that there is a huge square tofu-shaped stone on the Ningjiang River. The traditional processing method of Daning tofu involves soaking soybeans in Ningjiang River water, grinding them into raw soy milk with a stone mill, boiling the soy milk, and then pressing it with a massive stone sourced from the Ningjiang River. The resulting white tofu is quickly pan-fried with wild tea oil into square pieces of fried tofu—neatly shaped, with a golden exterior and white interior, tender and smooth in texture, commonly referred to as "gold wrapped in silver." It is said to have been a tribute to the imperial court during feudal times. During festive celebrations, pots upon pots of Daning tofu stuffing fill the air with their aroma, enticing everyone nearby. Interestingly, when the same processing method is used elsewhere, the tofu never achieves quite the same flavor. (Eight Guangxi Flavors: TV Narration Script)

　　　　Friends, no matter when you visit Hezhou throughout the year, you can always savor the distinctive local dish on the tables of Hezhou people—stuffed dishes. The people of Hezhou stuff almost every kind of vegetable. Whether it's soy products, fruit vegetables, root vegetables, leafy greens, or even pig intestines, pig blood, or pork fat, they can all be turned into stuffed dishes. Even raw green onions and garlic are stuffed too! Some have estimated that there are as many as 108 varieties of Hezhou stuffed dishes.

　　　　The convergence of Cantonese and Chu cultures has given Hezhou’s stuffed dishes a long history. For over 1,000 years, from the Qin and Han dynasties through the Tang and Song dynasties, Hezhou was at the forefront of the “Canton-Chu Corridor.” In the sixth year of the Yuanding era of Emperor Wu of Han (111 BCE), Linhe County was established along the middle reaches of the Hejiang River. The seat of Linhe County, Hejie Town, served as the political, economic, and cultural center of the Hejiang River basin for more than 2,000 years. Historical records indicate that over 1,000 named scholars and top imperial examination graduates from all over China came to serve in Hezhou. Their arrival brought regional culinary traditions, and the frequent flow of people and goods along the ancient Xiaoshan Highway, which connected Central China with Lingnan, further promoted the prosperity of Hezhou’s stuffed dishes.

　　　　As a place inhabited by multiple ethnic groups, Hezhou has also infused its stuffed dishes with rich ethnic characteristics. The Zhuang people of Nanzhai make stuffed pig intestines by directly filling raw glutinous rice into the intestines, while pig blood stuffing is made by mixing glutinous rice flour with pig blood and stuffing it into small intestines. The Yao people’s bamboo shoot stuffing includes versions with glutinous rice, glutinous rice flour, or meat filling. The Hakka people’s stuffed fried tofu, and the local specialties like stuffed eggplant, stuffed garlic, and stuffed melons, each carry their own ethnic flavors.

　　　　Incorporating stuffed dishes into love culture may be a unique creation of the people of Hezhou. At Hakka wedding banquets in Hezhou, there is an indispensable dish—stuffed tofu. Their saying, “Stuffed tofu—peace of mind,” reflects the idea that once the wedding banquet is held and families celebrate together, both sides can rest assured about growing old together. The Yao girls prepare special raw green onion stuffing for their beloved, symbolizing blessings for a clever and intelligent lover.

　　　　Each place nurtures its own culture, and Hezhou’s stuffed dishes are no exception. The fried tofu stuffing from Daning is generous in portion, with a golden exterior and tender white interior, earning the reputation of “gold wrapped in silver,” and is said to have been a tribute to the imperial court. The melon flower stuffing from Hejie, cooked in large pots, is sweet to the core. The lantern pepper stuffing from Guiling and the eggplant stuffing from Xindu, stir-fried in oil, perfume three households with their aroma. The same filling, the same cooking technique—change the location, and the authentic taste of the original producing area is lost. Hezhou’s stuffed dishes simply cannot be separated from that magical land.

　　　　The excellence of Hezhou’s stuffed dishes lies in integrating the Confucian cultural ideals of “never tire of refining food” and “refining coarse grains” into the preparation process, creating stuffed dishes with refined taste. For instance, there is a type of green vegetable called “mother-pig vegetable,” which no matter how skillfully cooked, usually tastes unappetizing. Farmers often grow this vegetable mainly to feed pigs. However, the women of the Zhuang ethnic group in Nanzhai use its leaves to wrap glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour stuffing, resulting in a uniquely delicious flavor. There’s also stuffing made from chopped fatty meat mixed with other seasonings, which makes it surprisingly not greasy. They even create various refined stuffed dishes from pig offal—all reflecting human progress and social civilization.

　　　　Hezhou’s stuffed dishes emphasize traditional preparation methods, requiring neither too many modern seasonings nor reliance on advanced microwave cooking techniques. The most authentic versions are the tofu stuffing and melon flower stuffing cooked in big farmhouse pots. The “three-stuffed-in-one-pot” dishes served in hotels—combining tofu, melon flower, and bottle gourd—are enough to enchant countless visitors from afar. For thousands of years, the countless stuffed dishes of Hezhou have carried the sweetness of daily life and the timeless songs of a people. With bowl after bowl eaten, people savor happiness and joy.