Soft-shelled Turtle from Hongze Lake

Soft-shelled Turtle from Hongze Lake

　　A historical tale about soft-shelled turtles and Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, has long been passed down around Hongze Lake. Legend has it that when Xiang Yu was besieged at Gaixia, not far from Hongze Lake, and surrounded by enemy forces singing mocking songs, his beloved concubine Yu Ji prepared this delicious dish using soft-shelled turtle and young chicken to lift his spirits. After eating it, Xiang Yu was greatly cheered up, regained his fighting spirit, and threw himself wholeheartedly into breaking the siege. This story and the cooking method later spread to the Hongze Lake area. Local fishermen created the dish "Turtle Stewed with Chicken" to commemorate this tragic yet heroic historical event. Since then, the dish "Farewell My Concubine" (also known as "Ba Wang Bie Ji") has become popular in the Hongze Lake region.

　　The soft-shelled turtle from Hongze Lake, also known as turtle or softshell turtle, is an oviparous amphibious reptile. Its head resembles that of a turtle, but its carapace lacks the striped pattern typical of turtles and features a soft, skirt-like edge in dark green. These turtles often live in the muddy sands at the bottom of Hongze Lake, feeding on small animals such as fish and shrimp, as well as fruit peels, grass, and grains.

　　According to experts, the soft-shelled turtle from Hongze Lake is rich in high-quality protein, amino acids, minerals, trace elements, as well as vitamins A, B1, and B2. It boasts the delicious flavors of five types of meat—chicken, deer, beef, pork, and fish—and is thus hailed as the “Meat of Five Flavors.”

　　Modern science suggests that soft-shelled turtles are rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, collagen, various amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and trace elements. They can enhance human immune function, promote metabolism, and strengthen disease resistance. They also have beautifying and anti-aging effects. All parts of the turtle—the shell, head, meat, gallbladder, fat, and gelatin—have medicinal value. Their main benefits include nourishing yin, helping control hepatitis and abnormal hyperactivity; providing nourishment, increasing plasma protein levels, boosting hematopoietic function, and enhancing physical strength; clearing heat, reducing abnormal body temperature, and dissipating internal masses. The meat of the Hongze Lake soft-shelled turtle contains a key substance that helps combat vascular aging, and regular consumption can lower blood cholesterol, benefiting those with hypertension or coronary heart disease. Eating an appropriate amount of turtle is also beneficial for postpartum recovery and improving breast milk quality. The Hongze Lake soft-shelled turtle also offers certain anti-cancer properties and boosts the body’s immune function.

　　Fishermen around Hongze Lake have also developed unique methods for cooking soft-shelled turtles, resulting in dishes that are rich in flavor, tender in texture, and highly nutritious. Popular preparations include braised turtle, stewed turtle, stir-fried turtle, mushroom-pot turtle, and “Farewell My Concubine.” Among these, the “Farewell My Concubine” recipe is relatively simple in the Hongze Lake area. It requires a young hen, a soft-shelled turtle, clear chicken broth, ginger, scallions, star anise, cinnamon, black pepper, rice wine, and some lard. The chicken and turtle are placed in a pot together, brought to a boil with seasonings, then simmered over low heat for about two hours until tender. The dish is then served in a plate.