On the trail of the perfect pigs' knuckles in Fengjing
By Chen Ye |
May 14, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
STEWED pigs' knuckles in brown sauce - hong shao ti pang - is an essential dish for many occasions in China, a delicacy as famous as German trotters in Western cuisine.
It finds a place on most Shanghai natives' tables, and the well-known ding ti (Ding's pigs' knuckles) comes from Fengjing ancient town in suburban Jinshan District, where the delicacy has been produced for 160 years.
Jinshan is most famous for its farmer painters, but tasty knuckles provide another reason to visit this place of interest.
For meat lovers, ding ti is as popular as yao rou, loin, from Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province and boneless meat from Wuxi, also Jiangsu Province. And while German trotters find the perfect accompaniment in German beer, ding ti is best served with Chinese rice wine.
A glass or two may be in order as Fengjing gears up for events to mark the 160th anniversary of ding ti being made there.
"To celebrate the 160th anniversary, we have made one that weighs 80 kilograms for the opening ceremony on May 19," says 60-year-old Zhang Guifa, the sixth-generation of his family involved in making the Fengjing delicacy.
Zhang tells Shanghai Daily that several key elements make Fengjing ding ti different from other pigs' knuckles recipes - rich, juicy flavor and soft, delicate texture, among others. And while it's a traditional dish, the family still experiments in order to improve the taste.
The very name ding ti reflects the dish's close connection to Fengjing - and its raw material. It is made from the meat of the black pig, traditionally raised in Fengjing. Ding comes from the surname of the first family to cook the delicacy in Fengjing, while ti means knuckle.
Ding ti first appeared in 1852 in Fengjing, according to Zhang. Two brothers from the Ding family opened a restaurant named Ding Yi Xing. Using Huadiao rice wine, Suzhou Guiyuan rock candy, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, ginger and other flavoring, the brothers created the delicacy.
However, 160 years on, some parts of the recipe remain a secret.
"I can only tell you that eight steps make ding ti," says Zhang with smile. "The remaining parts are business secrets."
Preparations for making ding ti start with fixing the shape of the pork, then washing the trotters in boiling water and plucking out bristles.
Next, the knuckles are stewed according to the traditional recipe for three and a half hours before they are shaped and cooled.
"The stewing process for three and a half hours is the key part, ensuring the final product is tender and tasty," says Zhang.
In addition to being tasty, Zhang says the collagen protein found in ding ti is good for the skin.
Up until May 28, Fengjing is hosting the 4th Shanghai Fengjing Food Festival to help celebrate the 160th anniversary of ding ti.
Normally, ding ti costs 45 yuan (US$7.1) for one. During the festival, visitors to Fengjing can buy a special pack of ding ti and other delicacies - rice wine, Zhuangyuan (No. 1 scholar) rice cake, dried bean curd and local snacks - for 160 yuan.
Other places of interest to visit in Fengjing Town
If dining on delicious ding ti is not enough, Fengjing township offers plenty of other attractions.
? Jinshan Fengjing Farmers' Painting Village
As the birthplace of Jinshan farmers' painting, Fengjing is home to modern farmers' artistic works. Through a powerful, unsophisticated style the farmer artists convey their passion for rural life through painting.
? Former Residence of Cheng Shifa
Famous Chinese artist Cheng Shifa (1921-2007) was born in Fengjing. The house is open to visitors and listed as a heritage site for culture and art.
Address: 151 Heping Street
? Site of People's Commune
The well-preserved People's Commune retains the original office, facilities and old-time tickets, coupons. There's a statue of Chairman Mao in the backyard and an air raid shelter built in 1971.
Address: 85 Heping Street
? Sanbai (Three-Hundred) Garden
Covering an area of 5,000 square meters, the garden complex displays many historical features with fascinating stories, together with three exhibition halls.
Address: 49 Heping Street
It finds a place on most Shanghai natives' tables, and the well-known ding ti (Ding's pigs' knuckles) comes from Fengjing ancient town in suburban Jinshan District, where the delicacy has been produced for 160 years.
Jinshan is most famous for its farmer painters, but tasty knuckles provide another reason to visit this place of interest.
For meat lovers, ding ti is as popular as yao rou, loin, from Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province and boneless meat from Wuxi, also Jiangsu Province. And while German trotters find the perfect accompaniment in German beer, ding ti is best served with Chinese rice wine.
A glass or two may be in order as Fengjing gears up for events to mark the 160th anniversary of ding ti being made there.
"To celebrate the 160th anniversary, we have made one that weighs 80 kilograms for the opening ceremony on May 19," says 60-year-old Zhang Guifa, the sixth-generation of his family involved in making the Fengjing delicacy.
Zhang tells Shanghai Daily that several key elements make Fengjing ding ti different from other pigs' knuckles recipes - rich, juicy flavor and soft, delicate texture, among others. And while it's a traditional dish, the family still experiments in order to improve the taste.
The very name ding ti reflects the dish's close connection to Fengjing - and its raw material. It is made from the meat of the black pig, traditionally raised in Fengjing. Ding comes from the surname of the first family to cook the delicacy in Fengjing, while ti means knuckle.
Ding ti first appeared in 1852 in Fengjing, according to Zhang. Two brothers from the Ding family opened a restaurant named Ding Yi Xing. Using Huadiao rice wine, Suzhou Guiyuan rock candy, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, ginger and other flavoring, the brothers created the delicacy.
However, 160 years on, some parts of the recipe remain a secret.
"I can only tell you that eight steps make ding ti," says Zhang with smile. "The remaining parts are business secrets."
Preparations for making ding ti start with fixing the shape of the pork, then washing the trotters in boiling water and plucking out bristles.
Next, the knuckles are stewed according to the traditional recipe for three and a half hours before they are shaped and cooled.
"The stewing process for three and a half hours is the key part, ensuring the final product is tender and tasty," says Zhang.
In addition to being tasty, Zhang says the collagen protein found in ding ti is good for the skin.
Up until May 28, Fengjing is hosting the 4th Shanghai Fengjing Food Festival to help celebrate the 160th anniversary of ding ti.
Normally, ding ti costs 45 yuan (US$7.1) for one. During the festival, visitors to Fengjing can buy a special pack of ding ti and other delicacies - rice wine, Zhuangyuan (No. 1 scholar) rice cake, dried bean curd and local snacks - for 160 yuan.
Other places of interest to visit in Fengjing Town
If dining on delicious ding ti is not enough, Fengjing township offers plenty of other attractions.
? Jinshan Fengjing Farmers' Painting Village
As the birthplace of Jinshan farmers' painting, Fengjing is home to modern farmers' artistic works. Through a powerful, unsophisticated style the farmer artists convey their passion for rural life through painting.
? Former Residence of Cheng Shifa
Famous Chinese artist Cheng Shifa (1921-2007) was born in Fengjing. The house is open to visitors and listed as a heritage site for culture and art.
Address: 151 Heping Street
? Site of People's Commune
The well-preserved People's Commune retains the original office, facilities and old-time tickets, coupons. There's a statue of Chairman Mao in the backyard and an air raid shelter built in 1971.
Address: 85 Heping Street
? Sanbai (Three-Hundred) Garden
Covering an area of 5,000 square meters, the garden complex displays many historical features with fascinating stories, together with three exhibition halls.
Address: 49 Heping Street
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