In the vast land of China, the food culture is rich and colorful, and various traditional cuisines have their own characteristics due to regional differences. Among them, mung bean soup, as a good product to cool off in summer, is not only widely spread in the north and south, but also caused a "north-south dispute" because of the difference in color and taste. In this debate, mung bean soup in the south is known for its fresh green color and variety of ingredients, while mung bean soup in the north is known for its attractive red color and simple cooking. So, in this contest of taste and vision, who is the original taste of mung bean soup?
Southern Mung Bean Soup: Fresh and green, with a variety of flavors
The mung bean soup in the south, like the water town in the south of the Yangtze River, gives people a sense of freshness and refinement. Its color is emerald green, like a touch of coolness in summer, and it makes people happy at a glance. This green is maintained thanks to the acidic water quality environment of the south. The polyphenols rich in mung bean skin are relatively stable under acidic conditions and are not easily oxidized, thus maintaining the fresh and green color of mung bean soup.
In addition to the influence of water quality, Southern mung bean soup is also more particular about ingredients. In addition to the basic mung beans, people also add a variety of ingredients such as lilies, lotus seeds, pumpkin, and barley according to regional and personal tastes to make the soup more varied. These ingredients not only add to the nutritional value of mung bean soup, but also give it a unique taste and flavor. For example, Nanjing's lily mung bean soup is loved by the locals for its sweet and delicious effect, moisturizing the lungs and removing fire; In Guangzhou's mung bean soup, ingredients such as kelp, tangerine peel, and sometimes a small amount of salt are added to form a unique salty and sweet taste, which makes people have an endless aftertaste.
Northern Mung Bean Soup: Tempting red, simple and classic
Unlike the fresh green of the south, mung bean soup in the north tends to take on an attractive red color. This color change is mainly due to the alkaline water quality environment in the north. The polyphenols in mung bean skin are prone to oxidation under alkaline conditions, which causes mung bean soup to turn red. Despite the difference in color, the mung bean soup from the north is equally excellent in taste and efficacy.
The cooking method of mung bean soup in the north is relatively simple, usually the mung beans are washed and boiled directly, sometimes the mung beans are soaked in water first, and the cooking time is longer until the mung beans bloom and the soup is darker. This long-term cooking makes the nutrients in the mung bean fully released into the soup, making the mung bean soup not only rich in taste, but also has a good effect of quenching heat and thirst. In the hot summer, a bowl of chilled mung bean soup is undoubtedly the best choice for northerners to cool off.
In addition, northerners will also add some red dates or rock sugar to the mung bean soup to increase the sweetness, making the mung bean soup more sweet and delicious. This simple and classic cooking method, although not as colorful as the southern mung bean soup, has its own unique charm and charm.
The dispute between the north and the south: each has its own merits, and it is difficult to distinguish between them
In this "North-South Dispute", both the fresh green of the south and the alluring red of the north have their own unique charm and value. The mung bean soup in the south has won the love of many diners with its rich ingredients and fresh taste; Mung bean soup in the north has won wide recognition for its simple cooking method and rich taste.
From a scientific point of view, the color change of mung bean soup is mainly due to the difference in water quality and cooking method. The acidic water quality and diverse ingredients in the south allow the mung bean soup to remain fresh and green; The alkaline water quality and long cooking time in the north give the mung bean soup an attractive red color. However, whether it is green or red, mung bean soup is rich in nutrients and heat-relieving properties, making it one of the indispensable drinks in summer.
In search of authenticity: a fusion of culture and habits
So, who is the original taste of mung bean soup? In fact, there is no absolute answer to this question. Because mung bean soup is a traditional delicacy, its taste and color have been deeply integrated into the culture and habits of various places. The mung bean soup in the south represents the freshness and elegance of the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River; The mung bean soup in the north reflects the simplicity and enthusiasm of the people in the north. Each mung bean soup is the crystallization of the wisdom and sweat of the local people, and it is all about the food culture
The inheritance and development of the .
Therefore, we don't have to be too entangled in the color and ingredient differences of mung bean soup, but should taste more of the cultural charm and regional characteristics. Whether it's the fresh green of the south or the alluring red of the north, it's an integral part of the traditional delicacy of mung bean soup. Let's taste the mung bean soup while also tasting the rich and colorful food culture of China!