Kunming Large-Headed Vegetable

Kunming Large-Headed Vegetable

　　It is made by pickling shepherd’s purse roots. Its dark color earns it the nickname “black shepherd’s purse,” and it comes in two varieties: rose-flavored black shepherd’s purse and sweet black shepherd’s purse. It is widely used in side dishes—eaten raw, stir-fried with meat, served cold in salads, or used in spring rolls and shumai. Adding a small amount can greatly enhance the flavor. Kunming locals also enjoy adding shredded black shepherd’s purse to cold rice noodles. In the past, the product from Kunming’s Yunxiangzhai was the most famous. The *Supplement to the Kunming County Annals* recorded: “The large-headed vegetable is sweet, fragrant, crisp, and delicious. The best versions are made by Yunxiangzhai at Sanpaifang and Hegeng Sauce Garden at Xicangpo, and they are also widely distributed.” Nowadays, it is available at various sauce shops and retail points across the city, sold in both boxed and loose forms. The boxed version is especially suitable as a local specialty gift.

(Kunming)