Deep-fried Dried Vegetables

Deep-fried Dried Vegetables

　　Deep-fried Dried Vegetables

　　In the past, in the Zhaitang River Valley, high-end banquets were categorized by the "Twelve-Eight" or "Eight Platters and Eight Bowls" standards. Deep-fried dried vegetables, as a delicious snack, could be considered a delicacy of the feast—only with it could a banquet be regarded as truly upscale.

　　Deep-fried dried vegetables have been a local specialty in the Western Hills' Zhaitang area for hundreds of years. During festivals, weddings, engagements, or when honored guests visit, it was always served to guests.

　　The main ingredients of deep-fried dried vegetables are wheat flour, red dates, white sugar, and cooking oil. In the past, it wasn’t commonly eaten not only because it was relatively expensive, but mainly due to the scarcity of wheat flour. The Western Hills region covers an area of 1,455 square kilometers, 98.5% of which is mountainous. The Zhaitang River Valley lies in the deep mountainous area of the Qingshui River basin, where the main crops are corn, millet, sorghum, and various beans. The local people had no tradition—indeed, no suitable conditions—for growing wheat over generations. As a result, wheat flour was considered a rare commodity. Especially in the old society, wheat flour was called "foreign flour," and "foreign flour" was equated with "foreign money." Only those with "foreign money" could afford to eat "foreign flour." Therefore, even wealthy landlords didn’t eat deep-fried dried vegetables often; as for poor families, they could only enjoy the aroma from dozens of meters away.

　　Another reason it wasn’t commonly eaten is that it isn’t an everyday dish—it’s a refined food. The preparation process is elaborate and time-consuming, so you couldn’t satisfy your craving on a whim.

　　Preparation method: Select high-quality red dates from the Western Hills, soak them in warm water until softened, peel them, remove the pits, rinse the pits clean, then mix the date flesh and skin into the flour. Use the water from rinsing the pits to knead the dough. The dough should be as soft as that used for fried dough sticks—soft but not sticky. After scooping the dough onto the steaming tray, flatten it out with a thickness no more than two fingers. Steam it first over high heat until cooked, then continue steaming over low heat. The longer it’s steamed at low heat, the better—the redder the color and the richer the aroma. Let it sit in the steamer a while after removing it for even better results; this is based on experience.