Chapter 54 Yancheng glutinous lotus root

Lotus root is a kind of plant in the south of the Yangtze River. In summer, the lotus is in full bloom, which makes people never get tired of it. The real lotus root will be harvested together with lotus seeds in autumn.As the autumn wind swept by, the emerald green lotus leaves quickly turned yellow and withered, and the lotus flowers produced strong lotus seeds.In order to get a good price in winter, farmers only pick lotus pods and leave the lotus root in the mud, waiting to be dug when it is ice and snow. Lotus root is a delicacy, there are many ways, all of which are delicious.In Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places, lotus root is abundant. Because the customs and habits of each place are different, the way of eating is also different, forming the Jiangnan lotus root cuisine. There are more than 50 kinds of lotus root vegetables in various places.

Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, is a famous lotus city, which produces a lot of lotus root every year, and there are traces of lotus root in the ponds of every household.Home of the water town, eat more lotus root, and eat it in different ways.Yancheng is still a city of flowers, with a wide variety of flowers. It is a sea of ​​flowers all year round, and the growth of sweet-scented osmanthus is the most favorable.The sweet-scented osmanthus tree is a precious flower that grows very slowly. Every August, the scent of sweet-scented osmanthus spreads all over Yancheng.On the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th, everyone in the family, young and old, enjoys the scent of sweet-scented osmanthus and gathers together for a family reunion.

In the summer of 2006, I went to Jiangsu on a business trip, visited Nanjing, Suzhou and other places, and ate a lot of delicious food, but did not go to Yancheng. In the summer of 2007, I was on a business trip to Beijing. When I met Cheng Juan, she recommended a dish to me, which was lotus root slices from Yancheng. I didn’t know that glutinous lotus root was delicious. Cheng Juan, a native of Yancheng, Jiangsu, has a wealthy family. She learned to look for delicious food since she was a child, and she also developed a good taste.After graduating from university and coming to Beijing, I often miss the days of my hometown. I travel in Beijing, a gourmet paradise, savoring the delicacies of the north and south of the river, and traveling around the dining table.

In addition to blooming on the trees, the osmanthus fragrans in Yancheng are also picked by every household, stored and eaten as food, and made into a variety of food to meet the needs of life. Cheng Juan lives in an alley in Andingmen, next to a bean flower shop. One of the dishes in the shop is well done, which is glutinous lotus root, which is very popular with Jiangsu people.We chose a box and ordered glutinous lotus root.When the dishes are served, you can smell the fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus, which is refreshing. Glutinous lotus root is made of glutinous rice and lotus root, which is very distinctive.

Southerners are used to eating very glutinous food.Glutinous rice itself has good waxy properties, and when combined with other foods, the glutinous properties are still there, and it tastes good.In the food department in the south, a glutinous food system has also formed. In the past, food was eaten by a fixed southern population. With the reform and opening up, it quickly expanded to the whole country. Many other places have also learned to add glutinous rice and glutinous rice flour to the diet. Into waxy food. Waxy lotus has very high requirements for lotus root. Ordinary lotus root can’t make waxy lotus. It needs the tender lotus that grew in the year. It is dug out from the pond mud in August. It looks white and tender. Pour the soaked glutinous rice into the holes of the lotus root, press the rice grains tightly, steam and cool slightly, cut into thin slices, and sprinkle with sugar, osmanthus, and salt. The sugar and salt melt with the heat.Eat glutinous lotus root while it is hot, otherwise the lotus root slices will stick together.

When eating glutinous lotus root, you should pay attention to whether the sugar has melted. Only when the sugar melts can the sweetness enter the lotus root and play a sweet role.The glutinous rice in the glutinous lotus root is very glutinous, but it does not stick to the teeth. It is resistant to biting and chewing, and has good toughness.The lotus root is very tender, and you can feel the delicate sweetness when you chew it carefully, without the powder slippery when stewed.If you eat one piece, you may not be used to it, or the sweet taste is too greasy. If you eat a few more pieces, you will get used to its sweetness and tenderness, and you will prefer the fragrance of osmanthus.When it cools slightly, the sugar crystallizes, the lotus root hardens, and the sweet-scented osmanthus fragrance fades away.

Glutinous lotus root is the only delicacy I like once I eat it, and it is also an impressive delicacy.If I have a chance, I must go to Yancheng, Jiangsu Province every August 15th, to experience the authentic taste of glutinous lotus root and have a deep taste.