Exploring Authentic Lijiang: A Culinary and Cultural Journey
Today's food adventure takes us to Lijiang, a popular tourist destination in China. The aim is to go beyond the surface and delve into the authentic experiences, learning about the history and culture of the Naxi people who call this place home.
Discovering Lijiang Before the Crowds
Lijiang is often called "China's most beautiful town". To experience its beauty before the tourist crowds arrive, an early start is essential. The architecture, waterways, and the backdrop of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain are breathtaking.
The Naxi People: Lijiang's Cultural Heart
Lijiang is the home of the Naxi people. A trip to Lijiang is incomplete without understanding their history and culture. Instead of a simple introduction, a local Naxi person, He Chun Xian, was invited to share her culture.
Meeting He Chun Xian: A Local Perspective
He Chun Xian, a local Naxi person, lives at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and runs a restaurant serving Yunnan wild mushrooms. She wears traditional Naxi dress, highlighting its significance.
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The shawl with seven suns symbolizes hard work and resilience.
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The frog shape represents fertility and prosperity, reflecting the Naxi people's nomadic origins and small population. Frogs are a totem and visible everywhere in Lijiang. The current population of Naxi people is around 400,000.
A Traditional Naxi Breakfast
The Naxi people produce a lot of chickpeas, which they use in various dishes. For breakfast, they often eat chickpea porridge (Xidoufen) with bread.
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The porridge comes in two colors: black (made from chickpeas) and yellow (made from normal peas).
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It is seasoned with chili, Sichuan peppercorn, and other spices.
A "baba" (similar to mantou) is often eaten with the porridge. Unlike the Xizhou baba, Naxi baba is simpler, usually without fillings.
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Locals eat it plain or dip it in chickpea porridge, often with chili and tea.
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Tea is popular because Lijiang was a key hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road.
The Ancient Tea Horse Road and Lijiang's History
Lijiang was a crucial hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, a historic trade route connecting Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. This influx of people, culture, and religions has greatly influenced the area.
Altitude and Flavor
Lijiang sits at 2,400 meters altitude. The food tends to be saltier due to the altitude and the hard labor required.
Tasting the Breakfast
The chickpea porridge is salty, spicy, and flavorful, coating the bread well. Fresh green chili is added, which is more refreshing than spicy.
The Dongba Script and Paper
The Naxi people have their own writing system called Dongba script. A Dongba is the person with the most knowledge in Naxi culture, and the position is inherited.
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The Dongba script is pictographic and was traditionally used by Dongbas to record scriptures, astronomy, geography, and medicine.
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The Dongba Script is made up of over 1,700 characters.
Dongba paper, used for the script, is an intangible cultural heritage.
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It's made from stringbush and paper mulberry.
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Stringbush makes the paper bug-proof and durable for a thousand years, preserving Naxi culture.
A Truffle Feast
Yunnan produces a significant amount of truffles (300 tons annually). He Chun Xian's restaurant serves dishes featuring local black truffles.
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Traditionally, locals didn't prioritize truffles due to their texture. They preferred other mushrooms like Jizong or Porcini.
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The price of truffles has been relatively low in China (a few hundred yuan a kilo).
The most extravagant way to eat truffles in Yunnan is with braised pork. The truffles are cooked whole, like potatoes, or grilled.
The truffle banquet included dishes like:
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Truffle steamed eggs
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Truffle stir-fried eggs
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Truffle sausage
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Cold mixed truffle and yak meat
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Truffle clay pot rice
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Truffle dumplings
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Truffle Guoqiao Mixian (Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles)
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Truffle soup dumplings
The Truffle Guoqiao Mixian (Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles) had a truffle taste. The truffles in Lijiang were less intense than in France but very tasty.
Lijiang Old Town and Night Market
Returning to Lijiang Old Town, it is now crowded with tourists. Stores sell local handicrafts, snacks, and costumes. The ZhongYi night market is lively with many food stalls.
Exploring the Night Market
The strategy at the touristy night market is to try amusing items. A chicken wing filled with glutinous rice was one such find. A less visited corner revealed a local food hall with a lady frying chickpea cake (jidoufen).
- The chickpea cake is topped with sliced radish, spring onion, Sichuan peppercorn, salt, MSG, chili flakes, vinegar, and soy sauce.
The grilled chickpea jelly has both thin skin and soft jelly underneath, with a mixture of sour, salty, spicy, and mouth-numbing flavors. The crunchy radish adds to the dish.
A Final Bite: Yak BBQ
A Yak BBQ skewer was purchased at five yuan per skewer.
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The vendor generously offered a second skewer.
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The Yak was tasty and spicy.
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