In the Chinese-style cooking, flavors matter most. Chinese people have integrated the emotions in their understandings of food. They are trying to seek the inspiration to change the flavors of delicacies.
In Guangfu Village, Baisheng Town, Fuling District, Chongqing, a motorbike fully loaded with seedy mustards is driving across the fields, February 21, 2019. (Photo by Liu Chan)
These are seedy mustards abound alongside Chuanjiang River. In 1898, merchants from Fuling District desalted and dewatered the food after pickling, and processed it into a new-type pickled vegetable.
Villagers of Guangfu Village, Baisheng Town, Fuling District, Chongqing are harvesting seedy mustards, February 21, 2019. (Photo by Wang Quanchao)
The name “zha cai” (literally “pressed vegetable” or “preserved vegetable”) came from the desalting process in wooden boxes by pressing.
People are busy working on the drying field of one preserved vegetable enterprise in Mawu Town, Fuling District, Chongqing, February 21, 2019. (Photo by Liu Chan)
Transported along the Yangtze River to the downstream areas, Fuling preserved vegetable delighted people’s taste buds. For over 120 years, people on both sides of the Yangtze River often serve dishes of this vegetable on their dining tables.
Some workers are busy working on the drying field of one preserved vegetable enterprise in Mawu Town, Fuling District, Chongqing, February 21, 2019. (Photo by Liu Chan)
Gradually, it has become a popular appetizing delicacy with steamed rice for Chinese people.
In Guangfu Village, Baisheng Town, Fuling District, Chongqing, a motorbike is fully loaded with seedy mustards harvested by the local peasants, February 21, 2019. (Photo by Lan Hongguang)
Currently, Fuling preserved vegetable has formed a large industry valuing about RMB ten billion.
In the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Craft Production Workshop, Li Wenlin (left), inheritor of Fuling preserved vegetable—China’s national intangible cultural heritage, is cutting the selected seedy mustard into shreds, February 22, 2019. (Photo by Lan Hongguang)
In Fuling District of Chongqing, half of the laboring population is working in the preserved vegetable industry. Over 600,000 peasants increase their incomes by planting seedy mustards.
On March 22, 2019, in the kitchen of Da Rong He (Chongqing Flagship Store), Liu Chong, the head chef, is preparing delicacy with preserved vegetable. (Photo by Liu Chan)
More than ten enterprises are producing preserved vegetable, and the first A-share-listed one of its kind in China is among them.
In the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Craft Production Workship, Li Wenlin (left) and his assistant are storing the processed vegetable into the jars via traditional utensils, February 22, 2019. (Photo by Lan Hongguang)
The enterprises also export Fuling preserved vegetable to 57 countries and regions including Russia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and South Africa.
In the workshop of one enterprise in Mawu Town, Fuling District, Chongqing, a worker is inspecting the jars preserving the seedy mustards; another worker is busy behind the modern production line of one preserved vegetable enterprise in Fuling District, Chongqing, February 22, 2019. (Photo by Lan Hongguang)
The delicacy has become one of the three well-received pickled vegetables with pickled cucumber in Europe and Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) in Germany.
On March 20, 2019, citizens are selecting preserved vegetable in a supermarket in Jiangbei District, Chongqing. (Photo by Wang Quanchao)
Source: Xinhuanet