Steamed Pig Liver with Seasoning Water

Steamed Pig Liver with Seasoning Water

　　The fresh pig liver has been air-dried to about half-dryness. By this time, the slaughtered pig has also been mostly cleaned up, so it’s time to prepare the liver. The housewife takes out all the ingredients she prepared before slaughtering the New Year’s pig: the oily-red Sichuan peppercorn powder from Dongshan, Heqing, the bright red chili powder from her own vegetable garden, the pure white pepper powder bought in advance, the fragrant tsao-ko powder, minced scallions… everything is laid out. She mixes these with the clear, cool snow water flowing down from Yulong Snow Mountain, and stirs in some Heqing dry liquor. Just as she finishes preparing these, someone hurriedly brings over some wheat straws, removes the bitter gallbladder from the pig, and searches for the windpipe in the liver. She then stuffs the mixed seasonings into the liver through the windpipe. Once it’s all stuffed in, she blows air into the liver with all her might using the straw, causing the liver to swell continuously until no more air can be blown in. The liver inflates just like a well-roasted plump duck. At this point, the preparation of the steamed pig liver is complete. To prevent uneven drying while airing the liver, corn kernels are placed between the liver lobes to keep them apart, preventing maggots or unpleasant odors due to incomplete drying. The stuffed liver is then coated on the outside with a mixture of Sichuan peppercorn and chili powder, and dried on the beams of the house, ready to serve guests when they visit or during tomb-sweeping season around Qingming, when the perfectly dried liver is taken down to entertain visitors.

　　When guests arrive or during tomb visits, the dried liver is taken down and simmered over low heat, allowing the seasonings to seep into every part of the liver. It’s crucial not to cook it for too long—of course, it must also be fully cooked. The cooked steamed pig liver is then sliced thinly. The slices become honeycombed, with the seasonings evenly infused throughout. At this moment, the pure, elegant, and faintly fragrant aroma of the liver wafts over, truly making one’s mouth water. But even at this stage, the process isn’t quite finished yet—the dipping sauce still needs to be prepared. The seasonings for the dipping sauce are also very particular: Heqing’s specially made lacquer vinegar (a type of dark rice vinegar), or stewed plums, or plum jam, mixed with high-quality coriander, spicy ginger, garlic cloves, chili powder, and pepper powder… Up to this point, there’s no need to hold back—dig in quickly, otherwise… The making of Heqing steamed pig liver and the selection of its seasonings emphasize a purely natural quality free from any pollution, making it a true delight to eat. After eating it, you’ll feel a sense of lightness, pleasure, and comfort all over your body. This is thanks to the liver’s effects of reducing internal heat, cooling the blood, detoxifying, and improving circulation… The sensation is entirely natural. Such a wonderful dish—friends, when you come to Heqing, don’t forget to try it.