Shaoyang Pig Blood Pills Delicious is carried forward in the inheritance

Hunan Daily all-media reporter Xiao Xiao

Correspondent Hu Jinguo Yang Nengguang

"It's so yummy!" At noon on November 4, at the "Haishifu Tu Restaurant" in Qingshui Village, Pingshang Town, Xinshao County, as soon as the reporter entered the door, a strong fragrance came to the nose.

"Master Hai, are there any pig blood pills that just came out this year?" "Boss, bring me a steamed pig's blood ball." There is an endless stream of orders in the shop, and the most ordered one is the pig blood balls.

"Steaming pork blood balls is a simple way to cook but the most original way to do it. The appearance of pig blood balls is dark and elastic, and after cutting, the inside keeps the tenderness of pig blood and tofu, and customers almost must order it when entering the store. Owner Zhong Haihong said.

Zhong Haihong washed the pig blood balls that had been smoked for nearly half a month, cut them into thin slices, spread them flat in the steaming bowl, dripped with some tea oil, added chopped peppers and other condiments, and finally put them into the steamer, and after about 30 minutes, a delicious steamed pig blood ball was served on the guest's table.

Pig blood balls, also known as pig blood dumplings or blood tofu, are a specialty dish in the Shaoyang area. At the end of September and the beginning of October every year, people use soybeans to grind into tofu, crush them and then put pig's blood, pork belly and knead them, and then mix them with tea oil, salt, ginger, garlic, etc., mash them into a puree, knead them into the shape of balls by hand, place them in a grass mat sieve cage, hang on the stove, and naturally smoke them with firewood. Smoked pork blood balls not only have the delicious taste of tofu and the salty aroma of pork, but also have a faint aroma of wax.

The delicacy of the tip of the tongue is always carried forward in the continuous inheritance. In Nanmiao Village, Cunshi Town, Xinshao County, Li Xiaogui, a municipal intangible cultural heritage representative inheritor of Baoqing's pig blood pill making skills, led more than 10 women to be busy making pig blood balls.

Li Xiaogui, 49 years old this year, has a family that has inherited the technology of making pig blood balls from generation to generation. From the choice of soybeans, to the kneading of balls, the smoking of firewood, the packaging... For each process, Li Xiaogui has made certain improvements according to the tastes of modern people.

"No matter how the pig blood ball making process is improved, the local memory carried can never be changed." Li Xiaogui said that over the years, she has always insisted on hand-made, even if it is smoked, try to use toon branches, and strive to retain the purest taste of hometown for every pig blood ball. Li Xiaogui also applied for a patent trademark and built a standardized factory. In 2020, a total of 500,000 pig blood pills were produced and sold, and the sales income was more than 3 million yuan. This year is expected to complete the sales revenue of 5 million yuan.

In recent years, Shaoyang has vigorously promoted the industrialization of pig blood pills, increased policy support, declared intangible cultural heritage projects for inheritance and promotion, and accelerated the standardization of pig blood balls processing and product sales diversification. At present, the city has more than 100 pig blood ball production enterprises, with an annual output value of more than 50 million yuan.