Vegetable ham is a famous dish with the distinctive regional feature and taste of Changzhou. The producing skills and techniques, as the result of the organic combination of Buddhist and dietary culture in Changzhou, have been handed down with 1,500 years of history.
In 502 AD, Xiao Yan, the Emperor Wu of Liang dynasty, began his accession to the throne and built the capital in Jiankang City (called Nanjing now). Emperor Wu of Liang was a Buddhist, advocating no killing and eating vegetables. In order to set an example for the monks, Emperor Wu required that “five kinds of animals” — cattle, sheep, pig, chicken and fish, which were used in the sacrificial rituals of ancestors and gods, be substituted with soybean products or dry noodles, but the original names were kept, therefore, the names of dishes such as vegetable chicken and ham came into existence and have been used till today.
The vegetable ham of Changzhou features careful selection of ingredients and scientific and strict recipe. Traditional and refined producing techniques and procedures are adopted. Main ingredients contain tofu surface, lotus root starch, eggs, etc. and appropriate amounts of seasonings will be added. It is made through various procedures and techniques including careful brine making, surface pickling, squeezing, spreading, paste painting, rolling, cutting, tying and steaming with the assistance of multiple natural valuable spices.
The finished product appears brownish red. With the slight sweet and delicious flavor as well as the chewy but soft taste, it develops the lively and refreshing flavor. After cutting it into slices and adding some sesame oil, it presents the similar appearance of the ham, which can be a great choice for the meal and drinks accompaniment, trips and relaxing activities. Also, it will be a good present for families and friends.
According to the identification and analysis of the senior nutritionist in China, there is abundant protein and considerable vitamin E, calcium, kalium, magnesium, selenium and other mineral components in Changzhou vegetable hams.
