Falling in love with Yunnan dishes (1): the sour series
The sour flavor is essential in Yunnan recipes. Yunnan locals enjoy sour dishes and bring into full play the sour flavor, which reminds of us vinegar, lemons, tomatoes, pickles, papaya, and more.
In summer, the sour flavor in various degrees is really indispensible in Yunnan dishes. The flavor can be mixed with different ingredients to create a variety of sour dishes. And here are the popular ones in Yunnan!
And here are the popular ones in Yunnan!
1. Boiled fish with papaya
As a famous dish in west Yunnan’s Dali, it is cooked out of fresh carp from the Erhai Lake and the sour papaya. The papaya must be very sour, and coupled with a little pepper.
The fish soup looks bright, and it has the tastes of papaya and fish. If you visit Dali, don't miss the dish.
2. Pickled cabbage with pork
The Fuyuan county in east Yunnan is famous for a hot pot in which pickled cabbage is boiled with pork on pig feet. Other ingredients involving sour radish and red beans, the pot soup is not greasy.
Pouring some meat soup into a bowl of rice, you can enjoy the essence of a sour and appetizing hot pot.
3. Bamboo shoots with chicken
Common in Yunnan, the pickled bamboo shoots have a special sour taste, which might smell terrible for certain diners but immensely wonderful for others.
Cooked with chicken, the pickled bamboo shoots can fully spell the sour taste. It is perfect to match chicken with bamboo shoots, which are enjoyed by diners in turn.
4. Sour fruits with chili power
Some sour dishes are a bit tall even for Yunnan locals. For example, the extremely sour fruits of green mangos, raw papayas, and olives are directly eaten with the chili power.
Though the sourness nearly ‘kills’ the diners, they actually enjoyed the stylish recipe, especially those in south Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna and Pu'er.
5. Pickled sour vegetables
Pickled sour vegetables are quite visible on streets across Yunnan, including pickled radish, pear, cucumber, cabbage, and others.
If you like spicy food, the vegetables can be dipped into chili power before eating. The sour and spicy vegetables are effective in warding off summer heat.
6. Carved plum in Dali
The sour plum is so named because of the carving-like patterns on the fruit skin.
The cleaned sour plums are brewed in sealed cans, with sugar and honey added.
As a traditional food in Dali, the plum is crisp, sour, sweet and juicy.
7. Special chicken
Called “ghost” chicken locally, the special chicken dish is sour and spicy, particular to the Dai and Jingpo peoples in southwest Yunnan.
The chicken is refreshing like lemon, its spiciness can make you sweat, and its fragrant ingredient of parsley stirs your taste buds.
8. Other sour, cool dishes
Many food materials in Yunnan can be made into cool dishes, such as kelp, fungi and lotus roots. Other cool dishes involve poached egg, crown daisy, edible barks, and pawns.
What’s more, most vegetables and meats can be eaten cool. In these dishes, the sourness can come from vinegar, lemons and tomatoes, all sound appetizers in summer.
To enjoy life to the fullest in summer, why not visit Yunnan for the sour series above.
By Yao Chengcheng and Wang Shixue