Taijiang Zhalazi

Taijiang Zhalazi

　　Hometown of Xiumei, heartland of the Miao region. The local Miao people are almost obsessed with a condiment called zhalazi, with nearly every household keeping it stocked and everyone knowing how to cook zhalazi dishes.

　　 On October 15th, I had the opportunity to follow two Miao women, Ou Pinying and Long Liansi, in making zhalazi using a traditional stone mortar and to taste the rustic Miao specialty zhalazi cake—so far, I’ve yet to know the taste of meat.

　　 Zhalazi is similar in preparation to Qiandongnan’s signature zaola, but involves a more complex process. Its most distinctive feature is the inclusion of glutinous rice and sticky rice during pickling. It can be used as a seasoning or directly made into a dish.

　　 Zhalazi dishes are spicy, flavorful, smooth without being greasy—an appetizing delicacy. Though easy to cook, the main ingredient, zhalazi, is relatively complex to make, requiring careful selection of raw materials and precise blending with glutinous and sticky rice.

　　 Long Liansi is 69 years old and has been making zhalazi with her mother since childhood, preparing it every year. According to Long Liansi, the preparation of zhalazi pays close attention to ingredient ratios—it requires finely chopped bright red chili peppers mixed with a certain proportion of glutinous and sticky rice, then pickled in a ceramic jar for about a month before being pounded with a stone mortar. It can also be ground by machine, but the flavor is better when made with a stone mortar. The pounded zhalazi is stored in a jar as a seasoning and can be eaten year-round.

　　 Among the most common zhalazi dishes on the tables of Taijiang’s Miao people are mainly zhalazi soup, zhalazi cake, zhalazi beef, and zhalazi fish.

　　 Zhalazi Dishes: Zhalazi can be directly boiled with vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, tofu, and river fish in a mixed stew called zhalazi soup. When served, chopped garlic sprouts and cilantro are sprinkled on top, creating a dish that is colorful, fragrant, and delicious. Features: no oil used, simple to prepare, sour and spicy to stimulate the appetite, smooth and not greasy.

　　 Zhalazi Cake: Zhalazi can also be directly pan-fried in hot oil to make zhalazi cakes. When preparing zhalazi for cakes, the ratio of glutinous and sticky rice must be balanced—if there's too much glutinous rice, the cake becomes too soft, and if there’s too much sticky rice, it falls apart, making it difficult to hold together. Features: simple to make, spicy and delicious, requiring no additional side dishes.

　　 It is reported that at this year’s Qiandongnan Top Ten Tourism Specialty Snacks Competition, Taijiang Zhalazi Fish Fillet was awarded as one of the region’s top ten snacks for its authentic taste and appealing color.