Fragrant Pig

Fragrant Pig

　　Fragrant pigs and fragrant chickens are among the most traditional livestock raised in Shambhala households. Legend has it that they were developed by the Shambhala people during the process of domesticating wild boars and wild chickens. Fragrant pigs are primarily fed green forage and never given artificial feed. They graze year-round alongside cattle and sheep. With long snouts, small ears, narrow heads, straight foreheads, slender bodies, convex backs, and sturdy limbs, they are also swift runners.

The pig carcass has a strong fat-retention capacity, high lean meat ratio, fine muscle fibers, and tender flesh. It can be roasted whole or used to prepare a variety of dishes. The most distinctive way to enjoy it is as “pocket meat.” This involves removing the internal organs and blood from the slaughtered fragrant pig, stuffing it with spices and salt, sewing up the incision with thread, sealing both nostrils and the mouth, and then coating the stitched seams with yellow mud to create an airtight seal that prevents any external air from entering. The prepared pig is then stored in a cool, dry place and covered with some forage. It can be preserved for 2–3 years without spoiling. Although it may have a strong smell when uncooked, it tastes exceptionally flavorful when eaten — much like stinky tofu. Fragrant chickens are also never fed artificial feed and are raised free-range, pecking at insects and grass seeds. These small birds are feathered, adept at flying, and highly agile, usually weighing less than 1.5 kg. Their meat is light pink, tender, delicious, and brightly colored. The hens lay eggs at a high rate; the eggs are small and flat, making them genuine “free-range chicken eggs.”