原味為王

原味為王

The best dishes do not rely on condiments, but are works that stem from the very soul of the chef. The unique cuisine of Huizhou is prepared with quality ingredients and craftsmanship, where any tiny deviation would result in overly strong or bland fl avours.

真正的美食不靠佐料，而是用心來調(diào)和。鮮美的食材，加上多一分太濃、少一分太淡的匠人之心，炮制出非同尋常的惠州美食。

Gao Yanlai, a native of Huizhou, has built an open, circular stove with square furnishings outside his establishment. The stove is decorated with 4 big characters: Huizhou Weidao (the fl avours of Huizhou).

What are the fl avours of Huizhou exactly? Gao believes that Huizhou fl avours focus primarily on“original textures and tastes”. Gao had attended the CCTV television culinary show titled Zhongguo Weidao (Flavours of China). The director had repeatedly asked Gao what condiments to prepare before the show. Gao's answer came quite surprising to everyone: “I don't use condiments.”

Gao believes that too much additional fl avouring would spoil the original tastes and fl avours of the food. “Fresh ingredients, harmonious combination of fl avours, and sincerity. That's what it takes to create wonderful food.”

Yanjuji (salt baked chicken) is one of the most popular dishes offered at Gao Yanlai's establishment. Unlike the Yanjuji offered in the market that come with artif i cial fl avourings, Gao insisted upon using the traditional and ancient method of “rubbing the chicken with coarse sea salts and baking over a small fi re”. The coarse sea salts would be stir fried over strong fi re for 20 minutes to purge any water content. Grass paper would then be used to cover a Sanhuangji (3-yellow chicken, a Chinese breed of chicken with yellow feathers, claws, and beaks) that has been wellrubbed down using shajiang (galangal) powder and salt. The chicken is then baked over a small fi re for 45 minutes.

Gao invested such efforts to ensure that his guests are provided with the most natural and unadulterated fl avours.

Huizhou is the home of Meicai in China (dry, pickled mustard). To bring out the best fl avours of Meicai, the natives of Huizhou would steam, braise, cook, and stew the pickle. Gao also has a preferential love for Meicai and is capable of preparing a dozen dishes with it. Meicai Kourou (steamed pork belly with pickled mustard) is a well-known dish that features the pickle.

It was said that the famous Song Dynasty poet and statesman Su Dongpo sent chefs to acquire the art of preparing the famous Xihu (in Hangzhou) dish of Dongpo Kourou (Dongpo's steamed pork belly). The result was the equally famous and wholesome Meicai Kourou. What exactly are the properties of classical Meicai Kourou? Gao Yanlai believes that the perfect rendition of this dish must feature the sweetness of the Meicai pickle as well as the aromas of steamed pork. Most importantly, these 2 fl avours must be mutually integrated yet remain distinct.

“Many chefs working in hotels would add Chu Hou Paste, Hoisin Sauce or other strongly fl avoured condiments to improve the aroma. However, this act would destroy the distinctive fl avours of Meicai and the pork belly. I would advise against it.”

Xunliao Bay is located at the other end of Huizhou.

Here, Zheng Liwen is pursuing a similar culinary approach of preserving the natural tastes and fl avours of the ingredients. Zheng has mastered the art of steaming. A dozen local seafood's such as mantis shrimps, scallops, tiger prawns, and crabs are brought together and steamed within a single pot. Steaming is the perfect method for preserving the refreshing fl avour of seafood.

Niangchun is a rare and disappearing folk dish in Huizhou, and is considered the most diff i cult stuffed delight in the area.

In the local dialect, the word “chun” refers to eggs. Niangchun can therefore be literally translated as stuffed eggs. Pork, prawns, and scallions are minced and carefully stuffed within the yolk of a duck egg. The entire setup is then carefully cooked over a small fi re.

In ages past, Niangchun would be prepared for children on their birthdays. Locals believe that eating eggs would help purge ill omens and calamities, and represented the love and expectations that parents and elders have for children. Food was not very abundant during Gao's childhood. A Niangchun for their birthday was enough to send children prancing with delight. Gao thus regards Niangchun as the taste of childhood.

Amajiao (grandma's calling) is another snack that could send Gao reminiscing about his childhood. Amajiao is a traditional fried snack that was once sold along the streets of Huizhou. Vendors would heat frying oil at the street corner while preparing a mixture of shredded turnip, dried shrimp, chopped pork, and condiments, that is held together by starch paste and shaped to resemble a small-bowl before frying them to create these wonderful delights.

As Amajiao vendors prepared these fried snacks, they would often fi nd themselves immediately swarmed by children eager for a bite yet lacking the coins to pay for them. Vendors, hoping to get customers capable of paying him for his work, would tell the children: “Ama Jiao ni huijia la”(your grandma is calling you home). This was how Amajiao got its name.

1.Stuffed Tofu釀豆腐

2.Niang Chun (Stuffed eggs)釀春

3.Meicai Kourou(Steamed pork belly with pickled mustard)梅菜扣肉

惠州人高燕來在自家吃食店里砌起一座外圓內(nèi)方的露天灶臺，灶臺前方書四個(gè)大字：惠州味道。

惠州味道到底是何滋味？高燕來認(rèn)為惠州味道就是“原汁原味”。參加央視《中國味道》節(jié)目錄制，編導(dǎo)幾次詢問高燕來佐料有哪些，高燕來的回答令人咂舌：不用佐料。

他認(rèn)為，佐料過多會(huì)掩蓋食物本身的味道。“只要食材新鮮，味道搭配調(diào)和得當(dāng)，加上用心，就能做出好東西。”

鹽焗雞是高燕來吃食店里的招牌菜，與市面上用化學(xué)香料調(diào)制的鹽焗雞不同，高燕來仍沿用傳統(tǒng)“粗拉海鹽小火慢焗”的古法制作。20分鐘將海鹽的水分炒干，然后用草紙將用沙姜粉、鹽腌制過的三黃雞包裹起來，小火慢焗45分鐘。

如此費(fèi)盡心力，高燕來就是希望能夠品嘗到食材的原汁原味。

惠州是“中國梅菜之鄉(xiāng)”?；葜萑擞谜簟F、煮、煲等烹飪技法，將梅菜的滋味發(fā)揮到極致。高燕來同樣偏愛梅菜，他用梅菜能做出十多道美食，梅菜扣肉是其拿手好菜。

梅菜扣肉相傳是蘇東坡派人仿杭州西湖的東坡扣肉，結(jié)合惠州特產(chǎn)梅菜烹制的一道佳肴。怎樣算是經(jīng)典的梅菜扣肉呢？高燕來認(rèn)為，既要能吃出梅菜的清甜，又要能品出肉的香味，兩種味道互有融合，卻又不完全混為一味。

“很多飯店的廚師做這道菜，加入柱侯醬、海鮮醬等味道濃厚的醬料來提升香味，反而破壞了梅菜和肉各自的獨(dú)立性，不可取。”

在惠州另一端的巽寮灣，鄭力文有著相似的烹飪理念，他同樣追求食材的原汁原味。他用蒸的方法，將當(dāng)?shù)厥a(chǎn)的瀨尿蝦、扇貝、對蝦、螃蟹等10種海鮮燴于一鍋。蒸，這種烹飪方法恰恰能最大限度地體現(xiàn)海鮮的鮮。

在惠州民間，還有一道幾乎失傳的菜品——釀春，這是惠州最難的一道釀菜。

惠州話中的“春”就是蛋，釀春其實(shí)是釀蛋：將剁碎的豬肉、蝦肉和蔥花小心塞入生鴨蛋的蛋黃中，用小火慢慢養(yǎng)熟。

釀春本是舊時(shí)孩子生日時(shí)加的一道菜，當(dāng)?shù)厝讼嘈懦詡€(gè)蛋便可脫個(gè)難，釀春寄予著父母長輩對孩子的期望。高燕來幼時(shí)物質(zhì)匱乏，生日有釀春，足以讓孩子們手舞足蹈，所以他一直認(rèn)為釀春是童年的味道。

另一道讓高燕來懷念童年味道的小吃是阿嫲叫。阿嫲媽叫是惠州傳統(tǒng)的油炸類風(fēng)味小吃，舊時(shí)小販在街頭巷尾支起油鍋，將白蘿卜絲、蝦米、肉?；旌险{(diào)好味料的面粉漿，放入油鍋慢火煎炸，呈小碗狀，噴香可口。

通常煎炸阿嫲叫的小販一現(xiàn)身，身邊立刻圍上一圈嘴饞卻又沒錢買的孩子。小販怕影響生意，便哄孩子說，你阿嫲叫你回家啦。阿嫲叫由此得名。

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Text by Ge Rufeng Photos by Zeng Jian