Lushan Green Vegetable

Lushan Green Vegetable

　　Lushan Green Vegetable is a famous specialty of Lushan County in Ya’an City, Sichuan Province. Belonging to the algae family, this leaf-shaped plant boasts a delicious taste that surpasses even the purple laver of southern China, making it a premium choice among wild delicacies. The green vegetables grown particularly in the Dalinxi area of Modong Town, within the valleys of Luoshun Mountain and Mengshan, are especially unique.

　　　　As a treasured mountain delicacy unique to Lushan County, it is said to have been an ancient “tribute,” once a renowned dish in imperial courts. During his time in Rongzhou (present-day Yibin), Northern Song poet Huang Tingjian received a gift of Lushan Green Vegetable from his cousin, Lady Shi Yan Yu, a female scholar from Meishan. In appreciation, he composed the quatrain “Ode to Green Vegetable”: “Beneath the sun and the shade of Meng, by a winding river’s bend. There grows a sprout, edible and fine. Like the garment of frogs and moths, gathered in handfuls. Ancient and pure, free from grit and sand. With a tangy, salty taste, it pairs well with wine and rice. In Wu it is purple, in Shu it is green. Their aroma the same, though distant they’ve not been seen. Who brought it forth? My learned friend. The lady scholar, Shi Yan Yu.” His original handwriting was engraved onto a stone stele during the Daguan era of the Song Dynasty, over eight hundred years ago, and has been preserved in Lushan, a remote corner of western Sichuan. The “Ode to Green Vegetable” stele is now housed in the Lushan County Museum as an authentic work of Huang Tingjian.

　　　Green Vegetable belongs to the algae family and is leaf-shaped. Its delicious taste surpasses even the purple laver of southern China, making it a premium choice among wild delicacies. Particularly those grown in the Dalinxi area of Modong Town, within the valleys of Luoshun Mountain and Mengshan, are uniquely exceptional. Growing on rocks bathed in moist climate, moderate rainfall, misty valleys, and rushing streams, the vegetable resembles the emerald-green shell of a pearl oyster—crystal-clear, deep blue-green, and richly fragrant. When harvesting Green Vegetable, it is best to choose the late autumn season when water is crystal clear. Special tools such as bamboo brushes and cloth bags must be prepared. Harvesters venture carefully into the rapid, gushing streams to pick the vegetable delicately and place it into prepared containers. The collected Green Vegetable is then rinsed to remove mud and impurities, placed into molds, processed into square shapes, sun-dried, and packaged for market.

　　　　Eaten raw, Green Vegetable offers a distinctive flavor and is excellent in cold dishes. The preparation method is also quite particular. According to experienced chefs, first place the Green Vegetable in a basin, soak it in salted water for about an hour until it fully expands and returns to its natural shape, allowing the sand to settle at the bottom. Rinse off the impurities, then wash repeatedly with clean water and gently squeeze out excess water. Place it on a plate, surrounded by golden egg crepes, crispy fried peanuts, bright red chili strips, snow-white scallions (or chopped scallions), and richly aromatic golden hooks (dried shrimp). Arrange these delicately around the Green Vegetable. Then drizzle an appropriate amount of salt, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, MSG, and chicken essence into the plate to create a delicious dish.