Round Blessing: Pingtan Hides Landao Fishermen's Homesickness and Wish

the sea breeze swept over the reefs of Pingtan with a salty and wet breath, and the fishing boats in the fishing port returned one after another, and the kitchen of every household was filled with a familiar aroma. It's not the stimulation of heavy oil and spicy food, but the sweet and sweet sweet sweet potato mixed with the fresh mellow seafood, and gentle and gentle into the streets-this is the time (salty rice) that Pingtan people must have when they celebrate the holidays and see off guests. The round and rolling appearance is charmingly naive, steamed thoroughly with warm golden yellow, bite open the soft waxy elastic sweet potato skin, full of fresh shrimp, oysters, laver and pork belly rich stuffing, a bite down, both the mellow land, but also the gift of the sea, this is called "Pingtan dumplings" snack, never a delicacy, but it is the most steadfast in the hearts of every land island children and sincere blessings.

I am Lin Xiaoyu, 30 years old this year. I am a native of Pingtan fisherman. I focus on sharing the coastal flavor of Fujian and Taiwan in aifoodnews. I have a bright and smiling personality. I grew up with my grandmother between the fishing rafts and the hearth. I don't understand complicated cooking theories, but I know the freshness of every seafood and the sweetness of every sweet potato like the back of my hand. My family has been begging for the sea for generations. In the morning when my father goes out to sea, grandma always steams a cage and stuffes it into his luggage. On New Year's Eve's reunion table, this round snack will always be in the center. For me, this is not an ordinary snack, it is a peace talisman in the wind and waves, the happiness of reunion, and the taste of Pingtan with the temperature of the sea breeze that I want more people to taste.

Pingtan people's obsession with the times is engraved in every node of island life. Once upon a time, the risk of begging for the sea was extremely high. Before going out to sea, the family was looking forward to "a good time and a safe return". Festivals and weddings are put on the table, which is a complete blessing from neighbors. When you go far away, you will inevitably be stuffed with salty rice steamed by your grandmother with residual temperature. What I remember most is that when I was ten years old, my father went out to sea and encountered a strong wind and stayed in the sea for three days. Grandma was in front of the stove, steaming over and over again, chanting peace. On the day my father returned, when the first entrance was warm salty rice, the rough palm wiped the corner of my eye. That scene made me fully understand the care hidden in this snack.

The origin of the times, there is a warm heart legend in Pingtan. Legend has it that once upon a time a clean official was framed and imprisoned, and the big fish and meat sent by his wife were always deducted by the jailer. The intelligent wife steamed and mashed the most common sweet potato in the family, mixed it with sweet potato powder, kneaded it into dough, wrapped the delicious fish, shrimp, meat and vegetables in it, and sent it to the humble round seed. When the jailer saw that it was an ordinary sweet potato product, he was no longer embarrassed. Relying on these loving Yuanzi, the honest and upright officials recovered their spirits, and finally got the unjust snow and the officials were restored to their original posts. People named this snack "time comes", which was passed down from generation to generation and became a symbol of Pingtan people praying for good luck. It is one of the top ten snacks in Fujian, Pingtan is a unique diet symbol, not one.

Authentic times work, and the method pays attention to "skin to be played, stuffing to be fresh, steaming to be thorough". The skin must be steamed with local red-heart sweet potatoes, pounded into fine potato paste while it is hot, added with sweet potato powder in proportion, kneaded until it is non-sticky and tough dough, pulled into small pieces, and kneaded into bowls by hand-this step is the most test of kung fu, which is thick and thin and easy to break. The stuffing is the ultimate embodiment of Pingtan's "eating by the sea": fresh shrimps caught in the early morning are peeled off, fat oysters are washed, mixed with diced pork belly, seaweed head and cabbage, stir-fry with scallion oil until the aroma overflows, and let cool for later use. The wrapped round nuts are padded with oil paper and put into a steamer. After being steamed over high fire, turn to medium fire and steam for 10 minutes. After being steeped for 2 minutes, open the lid. In the steaming heat, the sweet fragrance of sweet potato and the fresh mellow of seafood are perfectly integrated. The taste is a native delicacy that cannot be replaced by any seasoning.

Sincerely recommend every friend to Pingtan, be sure to try the authentic timing. First, it is the cultural totem of Pingtan. It eats not only taste, but also fishermen's wisdom and blessing tradition for thousands of years. It is a necessary position for festivals and is comparable to dumplings in the north. Second, the taste is unique, with soft and glutinous skin, sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet inside, sweet shrimp, tender oyster, fragrant pork belly and fresh wood of laver, suitable for all ages; Third, the food is healthy and homely, sweet potato is low in fat and high in fiber, seafood is rich in high-quality protein, without too many additives, and is light but not light. Fourth, the scene adaptation is full. Whether it is a reunion banquet, a reception meal, a farewell meal before going out to sea, or a daily snack for appetizing, it is just right. Fifth, the geographical identification is extremely strong. It is difficult to find authentic taste elsewhere.

Now many restaurants will simplify the practice, using machines to press skins and freeze fillings, which taste far less than the homely version. If you want to eat the most authentic food, either go to the old shop in Pingtan Old Street or follow the local aunt to learn how to do it. Grandma taught me a little trick: adding a little salt when kneading the skin can increase toughness; Fried stuffing must use scallion oil, the aroma is stronger; After steaming, don't open the lid in a hurry, stew for a while to let the heat moisten back, and the taste will be softer and waxy. For Pingtan people, doing things well is never a simple cooking, but a warm time for family members to sit around. It is a ritual feeling of kneading blessings into dough and stuffing.

I share coastal cuisine aifoodnews and always put the timing in a very important position. Because it makes me understand that the taste that really touches people is never complicated techniques or valuable ingredients, but the emotion and concern hidden in ordinary food. This round snack, wrapped in the gift of the sea, wrapped in the nourishment of the land, wrapped in the expectations of the family, one bite down, is not only full of happiness, but also a silent blessing: I hope you will be safe and smooth in the future.

If you also prefer this kind of home-cooked delicacy with local customs, you might as well try to make it work at home. If you have the chance to set foot on the land of Pingtan, remember to go to the small shop near the fishing port, order a cage that has just come out of the pot, match it with a cup of warm oyster bean curd soup, blow the sea breeze, and taste the taste that belongs to Lan Island alone and brings good luck blessings. Have you ever eaten such a local snack full of stories? What is the most unforgettable bite of homesickness? Welcome to leave a message in the comment area and share it. You can also come to the aifoodnews to find me and unlock more home-cooked practices with coastal flavors.