Boiled Meat in Plain Water

Boiled Meat in Plain Water

　　Beijing Specialty — Boiled Meat in Plain Water, a traditional Beijing dish known for its rich, flavorful broth and steaming-hot serving. Those who have tried it praise its texture: tender but not greasy, lean but not dry; soft but not mushy, thin but not falling apart. Garnished with bright green cilantro and glistening sauce, it looks incredibly appetizing and is an indispensable delicacy on the Lunar New Year dining table. This dish originated among the Manchu people in the late Ming Dynasty and has a history of around 300 years. It spread from the imperial court to the public after the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains. To prepare the meat, first scrape the skin back and forth with a sharp knife three or four times, then put it in the pot to boil. Keep turning the meat, do not cover the pot, and cook until you can smell the aroma. Once the fragrance emerges, remove the fire from the stove, cover the pot, let it steam for a while, then remove and slice to eat. The flavor is remarkable. (Another version says: For boiled meat, prepare a basin of cold water next to the pot. Boil the meat, skim it three times, and it will be especially delicious.)

　　       Specialty Culture: A traditional Beijing dish, this recipe originated among the Manchu people in the late Ming Dynasty and has a history of about 300 years. It spread from the imperial court to the public after the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains. The “Shaguoju” restaurant in Beijing is most famous for making this dish. Legend has it that in the sixth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1741), when Shaguoju first opened, a large sandpot with a diameter of 133 centimeters was used to cook the meat. Only one pig was slaughtered per day, and the main offering was plain boiled pork. Due to the booming business, all the meat would sell out before noon, so they took down the signboard and closed in the afternoon. This gave rise to a popular local saying: “The sign of Shaguoju — not waiting past noon.”

　　       Specialty Benefits: Pork is sweet, salty, and mild in nature, and is rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other nutrients. As a staple part of daily diets, pork helps build up the body, nourish yin, moisten dryness, and improve skin and muscle health. It serves as a great nutritional supplement for those recovering from illness, postpartum women suffering from blood deficiency, or anyone with a sallow complexion and frail body.