Chongming Pickled Melon

Chongming Pickled Melon

　　　Produced in Chongming, Shanghai.

　　Its main production method involves pickling raw melons in sweet bean paste, with highly particular ingredients and craftsmanship used in processing. First, the raw melons must be harvested from early to mid-season growth—those that are uniformly thick from end to end and not yet fully ripe. Second, a special brewing process is used to fully extract the sugars from the flour to produce the sweet bean paste. Once the raw melons are placed in the pickle vat, on one hand, through enzymatic action, the various sugars in the sweet bean paste are gradually absorbed by the melon; at the same time, through enzyme catalysis, the carbohydrates (enzymes) originally contained in the melon—such as starch, sugar, cellulose, glucose, ribose, and fructose—are transformed or fermented, giving the melon a variety of unique flavors and textures.

　　Characteristics: Thick flesh, thin skin, sweet but not greasy, crisp and tender—truly one of the finest pickled melons. The melon body is semi-transparent; when held up to the light, it reveals bright yellow crystals, and the seeds inside are clearly visible. Sliced as a side dish, it rivals candied fruit in taste.