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Photo Essay

Discovering the city of Lijiang through taste

  • By: Katherine Li、Fang-Yi ChenEdited by: Wallis Wang
  • 2019-02-11

Northwest in Yunnan Province in China, Lijiang is a city rich culture. Its Old Town area has more than 800 years of history which played a crucial role during the ancient Silk Road.

Craig Au-Yeung, show host and food columnist, along with his wife Millie Wong, showcase their travel experiences in Lijiang and demonstrates an uncomplicated but hearty Yunnan home dish — Stewed Potatoes and Rice — for the participating food enthusiasts.

This workshop took place in the Taste Library on the fifth floor of PMQ in Central, a 2000 square-foot space which encourages culinary explorations through the form of literature with books from around the globe.

Ms. Wong begins to prepare the dish while Mr. Au-Yeung continues to show pictures. "We are making Stewed Potatoes and Rice today," she explains while the diced sausages sizzle in the pan, "these sausages are a gift from my friend in Sichuan, so the complete dish might taste a bit spicy and peppery in comparison to what I had in Yunnan."
The special geoclimate of Yunnan has led to the growth of a large variety of herbs, many with medicinal purposes. Cumin, the green vegetation that are being sliced by Ms. Wong, is known to be beneficial for the digestive system.
Diced potatoes are stir fried till soft, then placed into the cooker along with sausages, peas, herbs and rice to give more layered textures to the rice.
More herbs are prepared, which will be placed on top of the cooked rice to add flavour. "Many herbs are difficult to find here. But Lijiang has a very large temperature difference between night and day, so those herbs flourished and would only cost a few dollars is the markets there," says Mr. Au-Yeung.

Mr. Au-Yeung tastes the dish first to test its level of saltiness, and decided that it is just right.
Stewed Potatoes and Rice is a home dish typically made in intimate family gatherings in Lijiang. It is simple to make in comparison to many other dishes, but it is a delicacy which inspires a sense of familiarity.
After the meal, tea made with burdock is served for cleansing and refreshment. "The type of tea made by the Nakhi people are much more complicated," says Mr. Au-Yeung, "They would add alcohol into hot tea then set the mixture on fire, a fascinating process which they call the ‘Wrestling of Dragon and Tiger’."

 

《The Young Reporter》

The Young Reporter (TYR) started as a newspaper in 1969. Today, it is published across multiple media platforms and updated constantly to bring the latest news and analyses to its readers.

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The Young Reporter

The Young Reporter (TYR) started as a newspaper in 1969. Today, it is published across multiple media platforms and updated constantly to bring the latest news and analyses to its readers.

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