Dongpo pork

History

While facing financial hardship during his exile in Huangzhou following the Crow Terrace Poetry Trial, Su Shi (aka Su Dongpo) innovated upon the conventional method of preparing pork. He marinated the pork in a mixture of huangjiu (yellow wine), rock sugar, and soy sauce, and simmered it on low heat for a few hours. He also composed a poem titled "Ode to Pork", where he described that pork was the most affordable meat source locally, and by using a slow cooking method, he obtained both a delicacy and a survival food. The recipe was subsequently adopted and developed by the people in the Hangzhou area, the capital city of South Song Dynasty.

In Chinese Gastronomy, Lin Hsiang Ju and Lin Tsuifeng included the recipe of "The Fragrance of Pork: Tungpo Pork (Another name for Dongpo pork)", and remarked that the "square of fat is named after Su Tungpo, the poet, for unknown reasons. Perhaps it is just because he would have liked it."

Culture

Dongpo pork is the subject of a famous piece of art, the Meat-Shaped Stone, which was carved out of jasper to resemble braised meat. The dish is also related to Japanese kakuni, and the Okinawan rafute.

File:盐官缸肉2.jpg File:盐官缸肉1.jpg File:Food 東坡肉, 虎皮刈包, 斑馬刈包, 叁和院, 參和院, 台灣風格飲食, 台北 (23958466976).jpg File:Sanxia Renjia, Fitzrovia, London (5561008512).jpg File:Food 東坡肉, 刈包, 蘇杭餐廳, 濟南店, 台大校友會館, 台北 (24205568882).jpg|With gua bao

References

References

1. Sakaki, Atsuko. (2005). "Obsessions with the Sino-Japanese Polarity in Japanese Literature". University of Hawaii Press.
2. (2010). "Michelin Must Sees Shanghai". Michelin Apa Publications.
3. Yoke, Wong Ah. (May 8, 2016). "Video: How to make braised Dongpo pork".
4. Law, Eugene. (2004). "Intercontinental's best of China". China Intercontinental Press.
5. 据《清稗类钞》 饮食类三 《东坡肉》条：“《东坡集》有食猪肉诗云：“黄州好猪肉，价钱等粪土，富者不肯吃，贫者不解煮；慢着火、少著水，柴头罨烟焰不起，待他自熟莫催它，火候足时它自美；早晨起来打两碗，饱得自家君莫管。”
6. Hsiang-Ju Lin and Tsuifeng Lin, with a Foreword and Introduction by Lin Yutang, ''Chinese Gastronomy''. New York,: Hastings House, 1969. {{ISBN. 0-8038-1131-4; various reprints), p 55.