You will see many farm dish restaurants scattering on the roads and streets of Chongqing. The farm dishes of Chongqing need to meet the following two standards.

First, they should be cooked with local food materials. They not only include the basic products of corns and potato but also others after special processing. For example, gray rice-pudding, chilies with rice filling, etc. Second, the unique cooking methods in the region also matter. For example, the way to prepare jar-pickled sour meat and stewed eggs. The following Chongqing dishes reflect the characteristics of Nanchuan District.

Stir-fried Twice-Cooked Pork with Gray Rice-Pudding Slices ("灰粑回锅肉 " in Chinese)

Stir-fried Twice-Cooked Pork with Gray Rice-Pudding Slices (Photo from CQCB)

Gray rice-pudding is very popular in Nanchuan District. People in Sichuan and Chongqing regions, and many towns and villages in China also like it. However, the Shuijiang grey rice-pudding is distinctive. In the past, people cut the well-steamed grey rice-pudding into slices and shreds to eat directly with red chili oil. Stir-fried twice-cooked pork with gray rice-pudding slices and shreds is also a delicacy. This dish here is very inviting.

Daguan Stewed Egg ("大观炖蛋 " in Chinese)

Daguan Stewed Egg (Photo from CQCB)

Stewed egg is a unique delicacy in Daguan Town, Nanchuan District. It is from another cooking method of egg soup. The stewed egg boasts burnt smell from the top and bottom and smooth and soft texture in the middle. Taking a spoonful of stewed egg, you will feel delightful. The mouthfeel and taste will be better if the food has some flour or starch in while cooking. People cook Luzhou toast egg this way.

The prepared stewed eggs are not only raw materials for soup. After frying, it will be very delicious with Chongqing-styling pea sauce.

Stir-fried Smoked Pork with Rice-Filled Chilies ("莽海椒炒腊肉 " in Chinese)

Stir-fried Smoked Pork with Rice-Filled Chilies (Photo from CQCB)

Cut from the side of the fresh big green chillies and take the seeds and veins out. Then, fill the sticky rice slowly, after soaked in water for a day and night, until it is full enough. Put the processed chillies with rice filling in an upside-down jar and seal it for about a month. At last, take it out after slight fermentation. Nearly all families in rural regions have this utensil in the old time.

The flavor of the chillies with rice filling is a little sour. People usually fry it with longly-pickled vegetables and jar-pickled sour meat. They also cut it into slices to make the cooking sauce for frying smoked pork or twice-cooked pork.

Stewed Chicken Soup with Fresh Skin Made by Sweet Potato Powder ("鲜苕皮炖鸡汤" in Chinese)

Stewed Chicken Soup with Fresh Skin Made by Sweet Potato Powder (Photo by CQCB)

In the daily life, what we may see are mostly dried skins made by sweet potato powder. People in Nanchuan District usually stew chicken with a big sweet potato skin. After the food is almost ready, they will add this fresh raw material and simmer the soup for a while. Then, the skin slices will have a silk-smooth and tender mouthfeel.

The chicken soup in Ling’s Restaurant of Nanchuan District is very popular. The soup served in this restaurant has a thick layer of oil, so it is very delicious. And the mellow and rich mouthfeel reveals that the main materials are the old hens raised in urban regions.

Jar-pickled sour meat ("酸鲊肉" in Chinese)

Jar-pickled sour meat (Photo from CQCB)

In Chinese character, “鲊” has the component of “鱼” (fish), indicating that it is about fish. The Shuo Wen Jie Zi (Analytical Dictionary of Chinese Characters), published 1,900 years ago, provides a specific explanation. “鲊” means preserving fresh fish with rice flour. Moreover, it should be one of the oldest food preserving ways in China.

Previously, people steam the jar-pickled sour meat, which is the origin of steamed pork with rice flour, to eat. However, they will also directly steam the un-pickled meat with rice flour to avoid the sour flavor. Few people living in urban regions cannot accept jar-pickled sour meat now. But, the pan-fried jar-pickled sour meat with deep-fried potato slices is still very delicious for many people.

Source: CQCB