Ningfu Liuxi Yuan

Ningfu Liuxi Yuan

　　Ningfu "Liuxi Yuan" features exquisite craftsmanship, a long history, and a distinctive taste. On May 18, 2002, CCTV's "The Same Song" visited Funing and hosted the "Ningfu Food Culture Festival" with "Liuxi Yuan" as the theme. As early as the mid-Ming Dynasty, Funing was well-connected by rivers and sea routes, offering convenient land and water transport. By the Wanli era, it had grown into a major town in eastern Huaihai. The salt industry flourished, commerce prospered, and the area was known for its saying, "Endless goods from the southeast, boundless buyers from the northwest." Merchants from all over gathered in Funing to trade. To cater to the tastes of people from different regions, local chefs in Funing created a symbolic and auspicious dish called "Liuxi Yuan." It is made by finely mincing premium pork leg meat, seasoning it with eggs, mixing in finely chopped ginger, scallions, and a touch of salt, then adding a certain proportion of starch to bind the mixture. The mixture is stirred well and shaped into medium-sized balls using a spoon before being pan-fried. The balls are seared over high heat and then simmered over low heat. The resulting meatballs are fried yet not greasy, meaty yet not heavy, mild and balanced in flavor—saltiness and sweetness are just right, rich without being oily, and light yet full-bodied, with a refreshing and mellow taste that is truly unique. They can be braised or boiled and have long been beloved by merchants traveling from all directions.

　　 Because the meatballs symbolize completeness and good fortune, locals eat them during festivals, birthdays, academic achievements, friend visits, weddings, house-building celebrations, and other joyous occasions. Over time, they became known as "Liuxi Yuan." When Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited the Jianghuai region incognito, he tasted Liuxi Yuan and later composed the verse: “Having traveled thirty thousand li through Jianghuai, I still remember the fragrance of these meatballs.”

　　 Today, the mild, refreshing, and mellow-flavored meatball has become one of the flagship dishes of the Huaiyang cuisine. In recent years, Funing’s meatballs have continued to evolve, expanding from traditional pork versions to include beef, fish, celery, lotus root, and even lion’s head meatballs. The packaged "Liuxi Yuan" products by Ningfu Food Company in Funing have been recognized as high-quality branded products by the Ministry of Light Industry and as outstanding specialty products by Yancheng City.