Recently, I read Mr. Tang Lusun's "Eating in China", and he wrote about the Beijing snack, sheep's head meat. Of course, when Mr. Tang Lusun was young, he was still called Beiping at that time.
Tang Lusun (1908-1985), Manchu, Ta Tara clan, real name Baosen, character Lusun. He is the grandson of Princess Zhen and Concubine Jin. Born in Beijing on September 10, 1908, he went to Taiwan, a treasure island in mainland China, in 1946. Mr. Tang Lusun was born into the noble family, went to and from the court since childhood, and knew the traditions, customs, palms and secrets of old Beijing very well; when he was young, he went out alone to seek a job, traveled all over the country, saw a lot, and was familiar with the folk customs of various places.
One
Returning to the truth, Mr. Tang Lusun said: Selling sheep's head meat is about the season, do not cross the winter, you just want to eat sheep's head meat, and the whole Of Taipei does not sell it. Most of the lamb is sold on the back of bamboo baskets, and it is not common to pick up burdens and set up stalls to sell. Nine days, at eight or nine o'clock in the evening, the road is quiet, the northwest wind blows, like a knife to shave the face, deep in the far alley, you can hear the sheep's head meat selling. Those who sell sheep's head meat carry an oil lamp with a snow-lit lampshade, which is probably the symbol of selling sheep's head meat. Although the main thing that sells sheep's head meat is the front face of the sheep, as well as the tendons of the sheep and the tendons of the hooves, it happens that there are sheep mouth strips, sheep ears and even sheep eyes. The knife that cuts the meat is wide and large, the crystal light is dazzling, the sharpness is extreme, the knife is like flying, and the slices of meat cut down are really as thin as paper. Then the minced peppercorns contained in the horns of the big cow are knocked out of the small hole in the horns and sprinkled on the meat. Sometimes it's too cold, the meat is still hanging on the ice ballast, dipped in pretzel and salt to eat, it is really another strand of cold and refreshing smell. Sheep's eyes are eating the middle of the heart, raising ears is eating crisp bones, lamb tendons are eating a tendon, if you drink a few or two burnt knives, from head to toe are warm, just like wearing a sheepskin jacket. It can be seen that the sheep's head meat is quite popular with the old Beijingers.
Two
In fact, there are three kinds of sheep's head meat in Beijing: one is the white water sheep's head, which does not add any condiments when processing; the other is the white soup sheep's head, which can be processed with some salt or condiments; the third is the sauce sheep's head, which is both salted and colored when processed. Mr. Tang Lusun's pen is a white water sheep's head, which is also the favorite of Beijingers. The most famous name of the White Water Sheep's Head is the White Water Sheep's Head in MaJi. The Ma family has a history of more than 200 years from the time when it picked baskets and sold them along the streets during the Light Years of the Qing Dynasty. Because the sheep's head meat they sell is genuine and unique, it has always been the first choice for Beijingers to eat sheep's head meat. It is said that even celebrities such as Liang Shiqiu, Ma Lianliang, Zhang Junqiu, Shang Xiaoyun and Tan Fuying are regular visitors here.
Three
In fact, the preparation method of sheep's head meat is not complicated, the whole sheep's head is dehaired and washed (special attention must be paid to the dirt in the sheep's ears, mouth and nose when cleaning), and then use a brush to brush the sheep's head as white as possible, and then put it into a white water pot, and cook it over a large and small heat to 70% to fish out. Peel off the lamb face while it is hot and cook until it is fully cooked. The heat of the bone must not be sooner or later, early, the flesh and bones are difficult to leave, and it is always difficult to be complete; when it is late, the meat is rotten, and it is not a piece, broken but not whole. The cooked sheep's head looks rotten to 100%, but it must be put into cold water to revive. This is both bleached and brittle. The placement, cutting, and texture are all just right.
When eating, it is necessary to cut thin slices, the slices are large and thin, and it is better to pick up a single slice to be translucent. Sprinkled with pepper salt and pepper, it is mellow and tender and slightly crispy to chew, or accompanied by wine or burritos, both main and side, delicious but not greasy. Eat once and think twice, and every few days you will be addicted.