In the northern part of China, there is a land with four distinct seasons and long harsh winters, but it has given birth to a unique food culture - Northeast cuisine. In the Northeast, drinking wine is not only a pastime, but also an art of life, and the "hard dishes" that accompany it are the finishing touch in this art. Today, let's take a trip to our taste buds to explore the four "hard dishes" in the Northeast that outsiders have tasted.
1. Harbin red sausage
When it comes to the Northeast, how can you not mention Harbin red sausage? It is not only a food, but also an indispensable feeling on the table of Northeast people. When you gently tear open the thin casing, a mixture of smoke and meat instantly comes to your nose, which is the taste of time and the code of memory. The red sausage is slightly tough on the outside, and the meat on the inside is delicate, fat and thin, and every bite is full of happiness. Paired with a glass of cold beer, the coolness that slides down your throat is intertwined with the warmth of the red sausage, as if to tell you that this is the temperature of the Northeast.
2. Stir-fried bean curd with chili peppers
Don't think that only big fish and big meat are hard enough, the fried bean skin with sharp peppers in the Northeast can subvert your imagination. This seemingly simple vegetarian dish actually tests the chef's mastery of the heat. The tofu skin absorbs the spicy and oily aroma of the pepper, and becomes chewy and smooth, as if dancing lightly in the mouth. Take a bite, spicy but not dry, fragrant but not greasy, enough to make the pickiest old drunkard fall for it, and call for another plate.
3. Boiled peanuts edamame
The summer night is slightly cool, and the streets and alleys of the Northeast are always indispensable for a plate of boiled peanuts and edamame. They may be inconspicuous, but they are regulars at the wine table. The mellow of peanuts and the sweetness of edamame slowly blend in a pot of water, sprinkled with a handful of salt and a few chili peppers, and the simple seasoning brings out the most authentic flavor of the ingredients. Peeling a peanut and taking a bite of edamame, the faint salty aroma and slight spiciness, just stimulate the taste buds, make people unconsciously drink a few more glasses, and enjoy the comfort from the inside out.
4. Sauce large bones
When it comes to hard dishes in the Northeast, how can you miss the sauce and big bones? This dish is not only about eating meat, but also about a bold attitude towards life. Large bones are simmered in a secret sauce until the flesh and bones are separated, and when gently pulled, the meat is soft and fragrant. And the most anticipated thing is the moment when I suck the bone marrow, slippery but not greasy, full of fragrance, as if all my troubles disappeared with this sucking. Eating meat and drinking wine is the hospitality of Northeast people, and it is also their enthusiasm and open-mindedness towards life.
Each of these four "hard dishes" is the epitome of Northeast food culture, which not only meets the needs of taste buds, but also carries the love and pride of Northeast people for life. The next time you are lucky enough to sit at the wine table in the Northeast, you might as well order these dishes and experience the real Northeast style, and you will find that every bite of food can tell a story and convey a warmth.
Remember, gastronomy is not only a pleasure for the palate, but also for cultural exchange. In this process, we taste not only the food itself, but also the warm stories behind it, and the unique customs of that place. The "hard dishes" of the Northeast are waiting for you to discover, feel and taste.