Mustard Pickle

Mustard Pickle

　　    A specialty of Beijing — Mustard Pickle, is a traditional local side dish. Many traditional pastries and dishes from old Beijing have been lost over time, but the Mustard Pickle has endured. This is partly because the dish is so distinctive, and partly because cabbage — its main ingredient — is widely available. It's a true everyday dish for common folks. When winter comes and cabbages hit the market, many traditional Beijing families make their own Mustard Pickles. Especially during the Lunar New Year, when heavy meals are common, the refreshing and tangy Mustard Pickle is the perfect palate cleanser and highly favored by locals.

　　       Specialty Culture: The name “Mustard Pickle” already carries a distinct Beijing flavor. It’s a must-have dish in the Lunar New Year’s Eve dinner for old Beijingers, and especially loved by the Manchu people. As a cold dish, it holds the top spot among all cold dishes and is especially popular in winter and early spring. When eating it, use clean chopsticks to pick out each piece and place them in a small dish, then pour some of the original broth over it. The taste is a perfect blend of sour, sweet, crisp, spicy, and fragrant. A sip of the broth brings an icy chill to the core, while the pungent aroma of mustard clears the nose and lifts the spirits. With rich meats and fish being common during the holiday feast, having a bite of Mustard Pickle helps cleanse the palate, making it a much sought-after dish. Because of this, people often prepare plenty to avoid running out. In the past, the traditional Lunar New Year’s Eve dinner of old Beijing emphasized the idea of “four fours to the bottom,” meaning the meal consists of four cold dishes (Mustard Pickle, Fried Crispy Cake, Pork Skin Aspic, and Colorful Peanuts), four hot stir-fries (Braised Carp, Scallion-Braised Sea Cucumber, Stir-Fried Shrimp, and Stir-Fried Squid), four meat dishes (Rice Flour Meat, Four-Joy Meatballs, Red-Braised Pork Knuckle, and Twice-Cooked Pork), and four soup dishes (Stewed Three Delicacies, Milk Soup with Tofu Skin, Corn Medley, and Eight-Treasure Hotpot), symbolizing harmony and stability.

　　       Specialty Benefits: Mustard has a strong spicy flavor that stimulates the secretion of saliva and gastric juices, helping to whet the appetite. It also has strong detoxifying properties and can neutralize toxins found in fish and shellfish, which is why it’s commonly paired with raw seafood like salmon. The component responsible for mustard’s pungent nasal kick is isothiocyanate. This compound not only helps prevent tooth decay, but may also help prevent cancer, reduce blood clots, and assist in treating asthma. Mustard also helps prevent high blood lipids, high blood pressure, and heart disease, as well as reduces blood viscosity. Mustard oil has beautifying effects and is considered an excellent massage oil in the wellness industry.