Yunnan | Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and salty, to the southeast of Yunnan

A Journey to Yunnan in the Epidemic Era

Being in our big gourmet country, and adjacent to the "Gourmet Provinces" Sichuan and Guizhou, the food in Yunnan always seems to be covered up a little bit. When most people from other provinces mention the food in Yunnan, the first thing that comes to mind is the cross-bridge rice noodle that has been sold all over the country and the wild mushrooms that have suddenly become popular in recent years.

In fact, the food in Yunnan is far richer than what we know. Yunnan has a diverse terrain and breeds a variety of ingredients, and the wild ingredients are unmatched by other places. Different customs, cultures and lifestyles of different ethnic groups have brought different cooking methods and taste habits. Adjacent to Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Tibet and other provinces, and bordering on Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, the cuisines in different regions of Yunnan often present different styles and tastes, and they penetrate and influence each other to form today's all-encompassing "Yunnan Taste".

In this huge province, even if you only open a small corner in the southeast corner, it is enough to feast your eyes on it and enjoy it.

9 days, a total of about 1,000 kilometers of self-driving journey, all the way on the fertile soil of southeastern Yunnan. It passes through 9 cities including Kunming, Maitreya, Mengzi, Hekou, Jianshui, Yuanyang, Honghe, Shiping and Yuxi. In every city, expect to find the most authentic food through the eyes of the locals. A large number of wild mushrooms are on the market in the rainy season, Braised Chicken Rice Noodles from Maitreya, Cross Bridge Rice Noodles from Mengzi, Vietnamese Small Roll Noodles from Hekou, Tofu and Steam Pot Chicken from Jianshui, Hani Dipping Chicken from Yuanyang, live fish from Shiping, Barbecue, eel rice noodle in Yuxi... Perhaps for the natives, these foods are a bit "tourist-like" because of the strong regional signs, and they are not the daily delicacies that the locals rely on for daily living. But for a visitor who arrives in Yunnan for the first time, tasting fresh ingredients that have never been seen before and finding novel flavors that have never been tasted before are enough to become a harvest worth cherishing and reminiscing during the journey.

Gaze back at the stunning colorful clouds and swallow the thick soup of rice noodles left at the bottom of the bowl. The free soul jumped up from the tip of the tongue, and couldn't wait to start talking about this journey of walking gracefully on the taste buds. The aroma of food from afar has since become a signpost for the soul, tirelessly guiding the steps forward.

Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and salty, the taste is all in southeast Yunnan.

[First stop] Kunming

The criss-crossing overpasses in this provincial capital sometimes have several floors up and down, and if you don't pay attention, you drive in the wrong direction. A female driver who doesn't know the way always drives to her destination more than ten minutes later than expected. This city is huge and all-encompassing, with ancient archways and modern high-rise buildings standing next to each other. You can almost taste delicacies from all over the province of Yunnan here alone.

Wild mushrooms, rice noodles, flower cakes, and many old flavors of Kunming in the market, put together bits and pieces of Kunming.

Wild Mushroom Hot Pot

Most of the mushrooms on the menu have never been heard before: milk plasma fungus, coral fungus, tiger palm fungus, dermatitis... almost only rely on the blind spot of imagination. After the bottom of the chicken soup pot is opened, add all the bacteria at once, and simmer in the pot for nearly 20 minutes, waiting anxiously for the timer to return to zero bit by bit—many bacteria are poisonous before they are fully cooked. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to eat before the countdown ends.

The sound of Didi Didi pierced through the gate of the Wizard of Oz. What gushes out from under the lid of the pot is the simple and pure aroma from the mountains. It also has the moist and fragrant soil, dreaming back to the breath of rainy season mountains and forests.

The soup continued to boil, and a thick layer of fat was impacted by the force from the bottom, constantly changing its shape.

Cooking soup is the most back-to-basic way of eating mushrooms. The large amount of fat in the chicken soup makes the heat of the soup less volatile, and the aroma of the fungus is thus stimulated and blended into the soup.

Fill a bowl of soup first, the heat of the soup will not dissipate for a long time. Take a sip gently, and the umami taste comes as promised, but it is not that aggressive. It just comes faintly from the tip of the tongue, and after a few seconds, it gradually submerges the entire taste buds, giving people a feeling of lightness. Even after a few sips, this umami taste spreads all over the internal organs and wanders in the body.

Unlike seafood that has a strong desire to possess the taste, the aroma of the mushrooms is graceful and soft, and it does not compete with the world. After arriving lightly, it seems that the sense of taste has been restarted, and the body is filled with enduring aftertaste.

The fungus in the pot is really amazing. Dozens of minutes of stewing let the fluffy structure of the mushrooms absorb the soup. Please ask the waiter in the store to help make a bowl of the most authentic dipping water, roll the steaming fungus in the oily dipping water and put it in your mouth. Each kind of fungus has a different taste: Dictyophora and matsutake are more delicate , The texture is loose and porous, absorbing more soup, and the soup will overflow the mouth between chewing; black boletus and milk mushroom have a slightly rough taste, chewy for a long time, and taste very meaty.

While chewing, the unique aroma of each fungus cleanses the heart. Presumably, on the first night in Yunnan, with the aroma of fungi, I will return to the dense forest in the rainy season in my dream.

With full of curiosity, Yunnan tried the legendary fungus that can "see the villain" for the first meal - Jianshouqing. The so-called Jianshouqing is actually a general term for a type of boletus that has the characteristics of indigo color reaction after injury. If it is not eaten properly, it will cause diarrhea, vomiting, and even hallucinations. But in fact, after formal cooking methods in formal restaurants, most of these bacteria are no longer toxic.

The most "topping" method of this kind of mushroom is to use a lot of oil, add dried chili, garlic slices and sliced ​​mushrooms to fry together, fry until there is almost no water in the mushrooms, and after they are completely cooked, the mushrooms are dry and chewy With the dry aroma of chili and garlic, the more you eat, the more aftertaste.

After eating this plate, I finally understood why the locals took the risk of poisoning, and I had to eat it.

After half a day of the journey, I was already hungry. Fortunately, I ordered a tray of matsutake steamed dumplings in advance to comfort my eagerness while waiting for the mushroom soup to count down. The steamed dumplings, which are a bit big, are wrapped with plump fillings, and small pieces of matsutake can be clearly seen in the fillings. The matsutake aroma mixed with the meat aroma is unobtrusive, but it does not conceal its presence, adding a touch of unusual fragrance to the original monotonous meat filling.

【Restaurant Information】 Yimen Congshan Wild Mushroom Mansion Zhajing Old Hot Pot

Crispy Rice Noodles

"Jianxin Garden", which has a history of more than 100 years, is one of the few "Chinese Time-honored Brands" in Kunming.

The time goes back to the end of the Qing Dynasty. That year, the Qing government abolished the 1,300-year-old imperial examination system. Examiners who originally relied on "study and excellence will lead to official positions" had to find another way. Among them, three Kunming students borrowed from Guizhou Changwang Noodles and launched the first "Changwang Rice Noodles" in Kunming. Later, according to the eating habits of the local people, Jianxinyuan canceled the fat sausage hat and changed it to "crispy rice noodles" made of crispy whistle, Dian-flavored cold white meat slices, and spiced tofu with blood. Since then, it has also become the signboard of this century-old shop.

The old Jianxinyuan store on Baoshan Street still has long queues every day. There are not enough places in the store, so many people just sit on the small bench at the door and eat rice noodles.

A bowl of crispy rice noodles, the first taste is not too amazing. The soup base is the usual rich bridge rice noodle soup base, and the rice noodles are also the usual smooth rice noodles, but the "hat" covering the rice noodles is really made of solid materials. A large piece of Xuewang fills one corner of the bowl. The tofu skin is roughly the thin and tough Shiping tofu skin, as well as the fried and crispy crispy whistle that can absorb the soup. The soul is probably a dense layer of fragrant and fragrant on the top. Non-spicy red oil. It is probably the limited vision of a foreigner who lacks local taste. No matter how you look at it, this is a bowl of rice noodles with rich but ordinary ingredients.

The more ordinary and the longer it lasts, this is probably the way to survive for a bowl of rice noodles.

【Restaurant Information】Jian Xinyuan Bridge Rice Noodles

flower cake

The girls at the counter are skilled in their movements, one is responsible for packaging and the other is responsible for settlement. In the operating room behind, several masters are busy wrapping the flower filling into the puff pastry and putting it into the oven. In the huge oven, there are soft embryos waiting to be awakened by the high temperature, quietly waiting for the time and temperature to give them golden embellishment on their cheeks, and the gentle fragrance emanating from the inside out.

Freshly baked flower cakes are definitely not to be missed. The warm aroma is fleeting, and with a little force, the outer layer of puff pastry is shattered. Mixed with the aroma of flour and butter, a fragrance of flowers blooms from the inside. The jasmine is refreshing, the rose is rich, and the meringue turns into powder at the moment of the entrance, wrapping the petals in the mouth, spinning and jumping, exuding sweet energy.

In the spring city where flowers are everywhere, I ate a whole sweet bomb from flowers.

【Restaurant Information】K. Wah Flower Cake

[Second stop] Maitreya

After staying in Kunming for only one night, I went directly to the next destination.

Maitreya City, more than 130 kilometers away from Kunming, is the most famous, in addition to the Maitreya Buddha, it is the amazing Maitreya Braised Chicken. If you want to eat the most authentic stewed chicken rice noodles, you have to go to Zhuyuan Town on the outskirts of the city.

After crossing a smoky and dusty gravel road, we arrived at the center of Zhuyuan Town. Both sides of the not-so-spacious road are filled with vehicles and battery cars in an orderly manner. Parking has become a difficult problem. At the same time, it is necessary to carefully meet the large vehicles coming from the opposite side from time to time. On both sides of the street, there are occasional women in headscarves selling snacks and fruits. The dense canopy of trees covers the signboard of the shop, and the two words that appear most frequently can be vaguely seen - braised chicken.

Braised Chicken Rice Noodles & Roll Noodles

The next thing to do is to open the door to welcome guests. Braised chicken shops, big and small, in the streets and alleys, while selling braised chicken/roasted chicken offal, set up a new stove to boil water, add the blanched rice noodles/roll noodles to the broth of the braised chicken, and spread a few pieces of marinated chicken on top, which is the local People's favorite street food - Braised Chicken Rice Noodles/Roll Noodles. An endless stream of customers arrived, and the auntie of the store skillfully pulled a chicken in front of her. The chicken was dismembered with a knife in her hand, and then the powder was boiled, the soup was poured, and the chicken pieces were added...all the actions were done in one go , a bowl of noodles with the heat in the pot was tremblingly brought to the low table in the store by the diners.

The dark marinade is salty and delicious, and the chicken meat is soft and has a special aroma of the marinade. Pair it with the store's homemade chili oil, and the fragrance will be even richer and longer. The thinly sliced ​​chicken is distinct, but neither hard nor woody, and the taste is just right. The rice noodles are smooth, and the roll noodles are flexible. It is difficult to tell which one is better for a while. But in contrast, the roll powder undoubtedly wraps more soup, and brings more essence of the braised chicken into the mouth.

Most of the people who come here to eat are locals: elementary school students who play until noon, office workers who have worked all morning, and most of the neighbors know each other. The almost "unified market price" of 5 yuan a bowl has become a tacit understanding among everyone. The two big brothers sitting next to each other, sitting cross-legged at the low table, boldly added two tablespoons of hot pepper to their own bowl, then stirred gently, picked up the big bowl, and "sucked and sucked" the wind. There was no time to react, like a magic trick, the hot soup in the bowl turned into dense beads of sweat on the forehead, gathered together, and rolled into the dust.

The guide recommended two nearby stores, but I really couldn't decide to try them together. My friend said with a smile, "Children only do multiple-choice questions, and adults need both". Flour is enough to eat.

The marinade recipe of each store is different, and the taste and taste of the soup and chicken are naturally different. The one on the right is "Bao Ci Mei Braised Chicken Roll Noodles". The soup tastes relatively light, and the chicken is tender and firm. Generally speaking, it belongs to the "light school"; The reason is that the taste is a bit heavier, and the chicken is a little more woody than the former, and generally speaking it belongs to the "heavy taste pie". It is difficult to tell which is good and which is bad. It is recommended to taste it first from the right to the left, from light to heavy.

【Restaurant Information】Bao Ci Mei Braised Chicken Roll Noodles, Yangshu Sheng Braised Chicken Shop

[Third stop] Mengzi

Chrysanthemum Bridge Rice Noodles

An article once said that in one year, the rice noodles eaten by Yunnan people can knit sweaters for the earth.

Rice noodles with a long history were first recorded in the "Qi Min Yao Shu" in the Northern Dynasties. After hundreds of years of spreading, various forms and methods have evolved. Among the many rice noodle recipes in Yunnan, Guoqiao rice noodle is still the most representative.

Put the boiling chicken soup on the table, while it is hot, put the ingredients into the chicken soup in the order of "Mr. cooked later": first the yolk of the quail eggs, then put the meat slices, fish slices, etc. into the egg whites and mix well, put them into the soup, and finally add leeks , tofu skin and other side dishes and rice noodles. Sprinkle chrysanthemum, coriander, and chopped green onion on top, and a bowl of "chrysanthemum bridge rice noodles" was born in my own hands.

In the eyes of local gourmets, a bowl of Guoqiao Rice Noodles that is "on the table" must have good soup, good ingredients, and good rice noodles. The soup needs to be boiled for six to seven hours with native chicken, old duck, tube bone and Xuanwei ham bone. After filtering, the soup is clear and fragrant. The matching ingredients should be based on seasonal characteristics, and it is also necessary to ensure that the meat and vegetables are matched so that they will not collide with each other. The rice noodles must use the fermented rice noodles native to Yunnan. While retaining the aroma of the rice, there are small gaps inside, which can better absorb the soup.

I found three Guoqiao rice noodle shops with the best reviews in the local area one after another, but I didn’t expect to close early in the afternoon. In this city where most shops are "Buddhist-run", it seems that the information on the Internet cannot always be particularly accurate. Closing stores early, temporarily closing, and store renovations seem to be common occurrences. If you want to eat, sometimes you still have to rely on luck and fate.

I simply chose a shop on the side of the road at random, and fast food was sold in the window, and many locals came here to settle for a meal with a few meat and vegetables. "Chrysanthemum Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodles" seems to be exclusive to outsiders. The set menu of Guoqiao Rice Noodles ranges from more than ten yuan to tens of yuan, which is probably related to the quantity and variety of side dishes. Just a few minutes after sitting down, my aunt prepared the ingredients from the back kitchen and quickly brought them up. While anxious to take pictures, and worried that the soup would cool too quickly, I finally put all the ingredients into the soup in a rough order in a hurry, and slowly observed the heat of the soup to make the surface of the meat curl slightly and turn white until it was fully cooked.

The thick layer of fat on the chicken broth looks plump and inviting. Scoop up a spoonful of soup and bring it to your mouth. The soup is clear but not bland, refreshing and delicious. This is probably the most elegant part of this chicken soup. Pick up a few rice noodles with a few petals of chrysanthemums on them, which is pleasing to the eye even from the visual point of view. The taste of chrysanthemum is not too strong. After asking, I found out that adding chrysanthemum to this rice noodle can neutralize the anger of chicken soup, so it is not easy to get angry when eating in summer. Richness is the finishing touch to make a bowl of rice noodles "both in form and spirit".

【Restaurant Information】Hongxinyuan Chrysanthemum Bridge Rice Noodles

Pork Knuckle Rice Noodles

Even though it was past the usual breakfast time, when I first arrived, I was taken aback by how many customers were sitting in the store. The friendly proprietress first took us to choose a set meal at the entrance of the store, and the number of different side dishes corresponds to different prices. In the glass window, you can choose from golden pig feet, fried pork skin, crispy pork, tenderloin, egg dumplings, etc. If you don’t follow the locals in front of you, it’s really hard to choose. The store puts the selected meat and side dishes into a bowl of "soul broth", and with a "wow", the bowl is filled with steam. For the next thing, diners have to "do it themselves, and have enough food and clothing".

Bowls of rice noodles and roll noodles are placed on the side, and there is no additional charge for self-service options. The rice noodles are traditional white rice noodles, and the roll noodles may have red rice added, which is a light and beautiful pink color. If you like a firmer taste, you can pour the powder into your own soup and eat it. If you like it softer, you can blanch it in the boiling water next to it before eating.

The pig's feet are fried and then braised. They are cut into pieces of suitable size. They are neither soft nor hard. I have to panic. Unlike Guoqiao Rice Noodles, the pork bone soup base here has already skimmed off the oil, leaving only the essence of the bone broth, which is refreshing and mellow. After immersing in the soup, the small holes on the surface of the meat after being deep-fried in high heat are sucking the water hungrily, and the soup overflows with one bite, and the meat is fragrant. Be sure to add a few drops of homemade chili oil. The chili oil mixed with the aroma of the soup will bring you a refreshment early in the morning.

The boss said that her pork knuckles are fried and then braised, so they are refreshing and not greasy, and the soup is less oily, so it is especially suitable for eating in the morning. Many locals eat a bowl of rice noodles here before going to work or heading out of town. Sitting at the low table by the patio in the back room, drink a sip of soup with your head down, eat a bite of pig's foot, and then look up at the sky here. Watching the locals around, come in, sit down, drink a bowl of soup, eat a bowl of rice noodles, then stand up, stretch, and leave slowly, this is the beginning of the day. The time in the small town is always so elegant and calm, every morning is unhurried, slowly unfolding like a picture scroll.

Start with a bowl of rice noodles in the morning, and end with another bowl of rice noodles late at night. The crystal clear rice noodles pass through time in this way, slowly weaving into years in this small town.

【Restaurant Information】Yang Kee Home and Garden

Mengzi BBQ

There are almost no menus in the barbecue restaurants here. All the ingredients are skewered and placed in the freezer, all selected by the diners themselves. Each has its own specialties - the most famous of this "Wacheng Roast Chicken" is the roasted silky chicken. Every part of the black-bone chicken: chicken wings, chicken tip, chicken skin, chicken head, chicken liver, chicken frame... can be turned into a magical delicacy on the boss's oven.

Waiting for the boss's busy time, I went to the next door by the way. The relationship between the two stores is very good, and you can order from one at any time and let the boss send it to the other.

Another neighboring shop, "Jinping Mengla Barbecue Restaurant", is based on the style of the Mengla Dai nationality. When I walked into the store, I saw that the boss was wrapping the minced meat with a green leaf like origami, and then skewered them one by one, and then put them on the fire to roast until the leaves wilted. This is actually a special dish of the Dai nationality - meat wrapped in fragrant leaves. This kind of leaf is called Yaoyao in Dai language. It is a kind of pepper family plant with natural fragrance. Usually the pork belly is wrapped with leaves, then fried or grilled, and eaten with the leaves, there will be an indescribable delicious fragrance.

Dai, Hani and other ethnic groups like to use plantain flowers in their dishes. Wash and chop the yellow tubular flowers of banana flowers, add seasonings to marinate and mix well, put them in banana leaves and heat them on the fire. The taste of the plantain flowers in the mouth is soft and glutinous. It looks and tastes like a fully ripe chopped green onion, but when chewed carefully, there is a little bit of plantain aroma, and the aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Probably because of the skin color of the black-bone chicken, the meat skewers don't look very eye-catching, and even feel a little burnt, but the taste is full of crispy fragrance, and the chicken is also chewy. Especially the chicken skin, which is baked like a thin layer of paper, without the slightest feeling of fat. The hot sauce that comes with it is full of fire. Sure enough, when it comes to spicy food, no one in the southwestern provinces will accept it.

Passion Fruit Lemon Chicken Feet has the unique sweet and sour flavor of Yunnan, soothing the heat of barbecue and chili. A sudden torrential rain came outside the door, washing away most of the scorching sun during the day. Ten minutes later, the rain stopped, and the air was sweet and clear, cool and pleasant. This is the cool night of Mengzi.

【Restaurant Information】 Jinping Mengla BBQ Restaurant, Wacheng Roast Chicken

papaya cool water

[Fourth stop] Hekou

There are very few pedestrians on the street. On the contrary, the number of taxis in the streets and alleys is surprising. The travel agencies that once filled the entire town are still closed. There are fewer tourists, and the shops all over the street are deserted, and most of them are slowly closed. The once bustling commercial street, digital stores, gold stores, and various brand stores are still open to welcome customers, but it is embarrassingly deserted.

The whole small town exudes a kind of loneliness after a long time of prosperity.

Once, every morning when the country gate opened, crowds of Vietnamese women came from the other side of the river, carrying Vietnamese goods and food, and sold them in the streets and alleys of this county.

Tour groups from China, wearing uniform T-shirts or identical peaked caps, are led by local tour guides and pass through the river to experience the exotic customs in Vietnam Old Street.

During the current pandemic, all of this has come to an abrupt end. The gate of the country is deserted, only soldiers standing guard and a few groups of tourists who come to visit and take pictures. No Vietnamese women, no tour groups. The once noisy town suddenly quieted down.

Vietnamese Roll Noodles

This is a husband and wife shop, the male owner is Chinese and the female owner is Vietnamese. Presumably, the method of rolling noodles was brought by the hostess from Vietnam. Mushroom meat and onion meat are two fillings, there are not many choices, 2 yuan a piece, and the hostess is already busy after ordering.

The rice paste is spread in a thin layer and steamed. After being picked up with a long chopstick, the filling is coated with a layer, and then the rice noodle skin is rolled up with the chopsticks. The entire operation took only a few tens of seconds, and within a few minutes, the rolling powder on the plate was already piled high.

The dipping water needs to be prepared by yourself: some bosses in the store have already prepared the sauce with fish sauce, soy sauce, etc., adding coriander, millet spicy, and lemon juice of the soul according to their own tastes. This bowl of dipping water is a piece of seemingly The finishing touch to ordinary small roll powder.

The shiitake mushrooms are fragrant but not greasy, and the onion meat is made of raw onions, which has a slightly "heavy taste". Hot, sour and salty dipping in water is an absolute plus. I can’t help but think of the chili sauce and lemon juice that sublimate the soul in every bowl of PHO in the days of Ho Chi Minh. I don't know when the epidemic will end, and I will be able to travel thousands of miles to have a hor fun appointment.

【Restaurant Information】Jiexin Garden Vietnam Small Roll Noodles

Yunnan-Vietnamese Cuisine

In the exotic street near the port, there are several particularly good Yunnan-Vietnamese delicacies. The landscape of the restaurant is above the river, and when the weather is fine, you can see the opposite Vietnam in the wind.

Most of the waiters are Vietnamese, and they speak Chinese proficiently. The dishes combine the flavors of Yunnan and Vietnam, which can only be eaten around here.

Vietnamese fried spring rolls are like a deep-fried version of Vietnamese small roll noodles, cut into sections, fried golden and crispy, one bite at a time. The stuffing is minced meat, fungus, carrots, and vermicelli, which is quite a traditional "Chinese" recipe. Here, it is difficult to determine whether a certain food is Chinese or Vietnamese. The two styles of cuisines constantly collide and rub, and finally embrace and blend with each other, creating a unique Yunnan-Vietnamese delicacy.

Old milk potatoes and scrambled eggs with papaya flowers are delicious dishes worth trying in the store. Chopped diced potatoes are cooked together with peppers, green onions and garlic, and it becomes a magic weapon for eating. The papaya flower is spread into the omelette, which makes the egg instantly refreshing, and the slightly bitter taste of the flower is unexpected. It’s probably because I’m not hungry after eating for a day, but I always feel the lack of amazing heartbeat while admiring the deliciousness. When the omelette is lifted, the amount of oil flowing out from the bottom of the plate can probably fill a small bowl, which is probably considered a major feature of "Pounding".

【Restaurant Information】Doudou House

[Fifth stop] Jianshui

The ancient city of Jianshui has a magnificent power.

Entering from the city gate, the road under your feet suddenly turned into a long and short stone road. Passing through the continuous and imposing stone archway, passing through the shop signs surrounded by high and low, one intersection connects many intersections, and the end of one alley is another alley. This ancient city seems difficult to come to an end. Therefore, getting lost has become a common occurrence.

However, getting lost is not boring. On both sides of the main road, there are "commercial prosperity" that can be imagined even if you close your eyes: shops selling tea, purple sand, Hanfu, and ethnic style accessories have now become standard equipment in all ancient cities. Turning around and entering the alley, I found that the life in the ancient city is unique: the hawking along the street is getting farther and farther away, like a cloud; the aunt who bakes tofu is surrounded by a crowd, and her eyes are eagerly looking at the long chopsticks in the aunt's hand; cats and dogs are at the entrance of the alley Meet, look at each other and walk side by side into the depths of the alley.

Go up the corridor on the third floor of the inn, and the roofs are connected one by one, extending into the distance. The tiles of several ancient buildings are particularly conspicuous in the relatively new housing complex. The ancient city is so big that it seems that you can't see the side.

The area around the west gate outside the city still retains the earliest atmosphere of life. Narrow, difficult-to-drive alleys, old houses that look a bit dilapidated, rows of wires and countless signs of "burning tofu" divide the sky. Park the car at the entrance of the alley, this is a "reserved place" for walking to find the old life of Jianshui.

Jianshui Tofu

The roasted tofu here is mostly small cubes of one inch square. The white tofu is placed on the grill. Under the action of heat, the outside and inside gradually turn yellow and hard, and the inside gradually expands into a small ball. Take a small bite, and the hot air comes out. Under the crispy shell, the inside is still soft, with a strong bean fragrance. Dip a little bit of water, and the small holes of the tofu are filled with the juice, which is full of flavor and has an endless aftertaste.

People in Yunnan recognize the tofu in Jianshui. The main reason is that the water for making tofu here is good. Ancient wells have almost become a landscape of the ancient city of Jianshui. There are often multiple wellheads gathered together, and the walls of the wells have been pulled out by ropes for many years. Deep marks. The most famous one is Ximen Daban Well, also known as "Pubo Spring". The well water is clear and sweet, especially suitable for drinking, making tea, and making tofu. To this day, this well is still the main source of drinking water for local residents. You can always see a few uncles with two large buckets coming from the small alleys and returning with a full load.

Near this well, there are also many workshops for making tofu with well water. Dilapidated eaves, dark halls, some without even signboards and store names, but there is something strange when you walk in: a huge machine is placed in the middle of the room, and the whole family performs their own duties, kneading a continuous stream of tofu. Come on.

Guarding the unique geographical location of Dabanjing, Banjing Tofu Square has become one of the largest tofu shops in this area. As soon as you enter the door, you can smell the strong smell of tofu. The tofu making room is on the first floor, and a row of large steamers are steaming. On the other side of the room, the worker holds a piece of gauze in one hand, wraps the tofu in the gauze with the other hand, tightens it tightly, and rubs it a few times, and the tofu is shaped into small cubes of the same size.

Stepping on the old wooden steps to the second floor, there is a self-service tofu snack for 5 yuan per person. Soy milk, bean curd, and old tofu are all freshly made that day, and they are served piping hot and steaming. The mellow and fragrant soy milk, the tender and smooth bean curd, the thick and mellow old tofu... Then ask the aunt to help me prepare a bowl of authentic chili dipping water. There are also fried tofu and fried bean curd in the store. The tofu cut into slices is dried and then fried. There will be a feeling of eating lard residue, which is extremely mellow. A table of "tofu banquet" is assembled, sit down and enjoy it slowly. Outside the window, from time to time, the sound of buckets in the well hitting the stone wall can be heard.

【Restaurant Information】 Banjing Tofu Square

Steamer Chicken

The Lin'an Hotel in the ancient city, at first glance, looks like an old-fashioned hotel with a good reputation but is occupied by tourists. The most important thing is honor. After entering the door, the enthusiasm and kindness of the service staff is a kind of unexpected surprise. Just arrived at noon, the hall was full, and there were many local families reuniting on this weekend. The steam pot chicken here is said to use the most labor-intensive traditional method. It is served in the pot every morning and sold at noon until sold out. Buy coupons at the gate, line up at the designated window to get food, drag a small steamer tremblingly on a tray, and on the way back to the table, the aroma has already rushed into the nostrils.

It is said that the essence of "steam pot chicken" lies in "steaming". Put the chicken and auxiliary ingredients into a steam pot with a small hole in the middle, put a soup pot full of water under the steam pot, and use the steam to steam the chicken. The moisture left in the soup is the essence of the whole dish-chicken soup. Different from the stewed chicken soup, under the full fat of the steam pot chicken soup, the soup is clear to the bottom, the soup is rich in fragrance and delicious, and even the ginger slices in the ingredients have absorbed too much essence and become delicious.

Confucius said, you can't get tired of fine food, and you can't get tired of fine food. The clear chicken soup in the purple clay pot, every bite, is the essence of a long journey.

【Restaurant Information】 Lin'an Restaurant

cold rice noodles

Together with the locals, squatting next to the tofu stand, "sucking and sucking" the rice noodles into the mouth, while holding a piece of steaming baked tofu when the hands are free. The hot tofu and the heat of the chili are rolling back and forth on the tip of the tongue and can’t close the mouth. Then have a mouthful of cold rice noodles to "suppress the shock". This is the exclusive joy of "eating" for Jianshui people.

【Restaurant Information】 Lin'an Restaurant

Fried Pork with Grass Sprouts

Qingtou fungus is probably the most common fungus in the forests of Yunnan. The mushroom cap is light green, even after frying, it still has a faint green color. The taste of this fungus is fat, tender and thick, and the refreshing breath of the mountain forest is revealed between the fibers. Add a lot of oil, stir-fry with pepper and parsley, and the flavors of several ingredients complement each other.

Blue head fungus is by far my favorite kind of fungus.

Jianshui's time-honored brand, Baoxing Building, is in a beautiful old house with a patio, and when you walk out the back door, you will find a rather romantic street. The steam pot tofu balls just served are still steaming. The pure white tofu balls are round and plump soaked in the soup. They are really cute at first glance. Although it is a ball made of tofu and meat, but because of the addition of small pieces of crushed peanuts, there is a little graininess between the soft and glutinous taste, and the taste is more fresh and rich. The principle is the same as "steam pot chicken". The essence of the ingredients is condensed in the soup, but due to the loose texture of the tofu balls, most of it is absorbed by the chubby body. While chewing, the delicious juice blooms in the mouth.

【Restaurant Information】 Baoxing Building

Jianshui BBQ

Do as the Romans do. The barbecue restaurants in Jianshui are all spread out around tofu.

From early in the morning to late at night, the charcoal fire in the fire pit never goes out, the long chopsticks used by my aunt to bake tofu are kept turning, and new tofu cubes are constantly added to the grill. After a group of diners finished eating and left, new people sat on the seats, took chopsticks, dipped them in water, and sandwiched tofu. The whole process was done in one go.

In terms of barbecue style, the barbecue in Jianshui seems to have its own school: the roasted grass sprouts are "regional limited", and it is only the most common in Jianshui, and all parts of the pig are also fully utilized - pork belly, pork skin, Tooth stems... brushed with special sauce, sprinkled with chili powder, it is fragrant and spicy. Roasted melons are particularly stunning: sliced ​​into thick slices, roasted over a fire to soften, brushed with sauce, and served with paprika. The taste is similar to zucchini but different, it seems plain, but it is crisp and fragrant, which makes people unable to extricate themselves.

After the noise of the day has faded away, the city is a little quiet at night, but the occasional barbecue stalls show the vitality of the night in the dimly lit corners. People are in groups, sitting under the big tree and by the fire. After eating a few skewers, I just feel like my mouth is on fire. The takeaway boy delivered the ice-cold milk liquor, which was full of sweetness and refreshing to the burning mouth. Taste is the longest memory. Even if it has been so long, I can no longer remember the walls and the wind of the ancient city, but I still remember that there was such joy on the tip of my tongue one night in the ancient city.

【Restaurant Information】Old Qujiang Renhe BBQ

Chang Wang Rice Noodles

The shopkeeper is responsible for cooking the soup, and the rice noodles are served by the customers themselves, which seems to have become a customary rule in this area. One heavy, one light, two bowls of rice noodles seem to be able to cover the preferences of all diners. The large intestine is very clean. The blood is not a regular cube. Instead, it can wrap more soup and feel more flavorful. Although there is a layer of red oil floating in the soup, it is fragrant and not spicy. It is quite "friendly" to tourists. . The crispy meat in the three fresh rice noodles is definitely the finishing touch. The chicken soup is refreshing, and the gaps in the crispy meat are filled with soup, and the mouth is extremely crispy.

After a bowl of rice noodles, I feel refreshed. Beside them, a group of girls in traditional Hani costumes walked side by side. The smiles on their faces seemed to focus all the warmth and beauty in the morning light of the ancient city.

【Restaurant Information】Garden Snacks

[Sixth Station] Yuanyang

The road from Jianshui to Yuanyang Terraced Fields is a bit unprepared. Before departure, I probably checked that the distance was less than 100 kilometers, and I thought it would be easy to arrive. When I was really ready to go, I found out after navigating: the whole winding mountain road, it takes about 4 hours to reach the B&B in the terraced area. Hour.

Most of the road is unrepaired gravel road, there are always large trucks following behind and behind, one after another sharp turns... nearly 4 hours of nervous tension throughout the whole process, no time to take care of the scenery on both sides. When I finally stopped the car and looked around, the green hills were rolling and rolling, and the green rice fields were divided into neat shapes, layer by layer, until the distance. The rice fields and the sky seem to be very close, and as the distance extends, they keep getting closer and closer, and finally embrace each other at the end of the line of sight.

It was the first time for a child in the north to see such a large area of ​​green terraced fields in the mountains, and he still couldn't restrain his excitement and ecstasy. Dancing to get off the car, holding the camera and constantly changing the angle and pressing the shutter, I wish I could pack the beautiful scenery of the mountains into my luggage, and rush to the distant road together.

Relying on the land for generations, farming civilization and majestic mountains meet and collide here, creating a natural wonder that is breathtaking at any time. The terraced fields change with the terrain of the mountain, large and small, high and low, and the rice planted in the fields is smooth and smooth like velvet from a distance. Among the mountains and valleys, Taoism is natural and orderly, as if there are two hands of gods to carve this place carefully, creating a huge art treasure.

I specially booked a "sunrise view room", looking forward to seeing the sun from the edge, lighting up the green with the morning light. For two days in a row, when I opened the curtains with sleepy eyes, I only saw thick clouds approaching the window, and the inside and outside of the house were dark and white. In the early morning, the cool green struggled to stick out from the gap in the clouds, and was lightly brushed by the clouds, returning to silence and paleness again.

Such is the climate here in summer. Seeing that the night is about to lose power, the domineering water mist condenses secretly, taking over everything in the mountains, covering the mountains, fields, and people. Until the sky was bright, the gradually warming sunlight called the unhurried wind to help, but only the clouds turned lazily and walked towards the other side of the mountain.

In the morning, drive to the Laoyingzui Terraced Fields, which is a wild viewing platform that has not been over-developed. The vehicle parked on a gravel platform by the side of the road, walked down a few steps along the steps made of chaotic rocks, and there was a road that was not very smooth, but it was surrounded by a fence and protruded outward like an eagle's beak. At the viewing platform. Looking down at the terraced fields from a high height, it feels even more patchwork and magnificent. The houses in the village are dotted among the terraced fields one by one, and the thick clouds are approaching at a speed visible to the naked eye as if throwing themselves into their arms, but they lose their arrogance and dignity in the morning under the gradually warming sunlight.

Next to the viewing platform of the tea factory, there is a path extending into the field. Climbing down the stairs, you will be in the rice fields within a few minutes. As we got closer, I felt even more shocked by this kind of meticulous carving that seemed to have been cut. The rice seedlings of uniform height are clustered upwards, and the edges of each step are neat and the heights are patchwork, like a ladder extending to a high place along the mountain.

Being in the mountains, it is easy to feel the smallness of the "mayfly world". But in this endless green, I feel small but not desolate. This mountain is still a primitive and wild mountain, where human wisdom sows seeds and forms a towering miracle belonging to civilization. Now this mountain is primitive but not barren, wild but not savage. The small bodies of generations of people have walked through the mountains for thousands of years, step by step, shoveling and shoveling, covering this natural greatness with the light of civilization.

Honey Dip Chicken

The chickens in Yunnan seem to be "athletes". The free-range chickens that have been raised free-range in the mountains all year round are particularly firm and chewy. Because of the low fat content, you won't feel greasy if you eat a lot. The combination of boiled chicken + dipped in water is as simple as possible, retaining the most unpretentious aroma of chicken. Living in the mountains, returning to nature with this food, I have to be grateful for the most primitive gift of nature to human beings.

After eating lemongrass fried pork ribs for two days in a row, my companions did not hesitate to choose it as the favorite food of the trip TOP 1. The pork ribs seem to be boiled with spices first, and the juice inside is still very rich, and then they are fried repeatedly in oil pan and lemongrass until they are crispy. When it is in the mouth, it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. After the golden and crispy skin is bitten off, the inside is full of juice, and it is completely shriveled and stiff from the high-temperature oil pan. Chewing carefully, the aroma of lemongrass seems to come from a distant place, faintly visible but not to be underestimated, it has become the icing on the cake of this fried food.

There are many family restaurants in the terraced field area, which are empty during the off-season, but this one is almost full every night. The name of the store comes from the traditional fire tool of the Hani people - the fire pit. This method, which is commonly used in the Yunnan area, opened a new chapter for the earliest humans to improve their living environment: Heating, cooking tea, and processed food all depend on the firepit. The family sits together and enjoys cooked food, which is the favorite of Hani families. diet.

The night in the mountains is extremely quiet, but the shop is still brightly lit, and the sound of conversation comes from the dark night. As if I was one of them, sitting around the steaming fire pond with the Hani people, roasting food and drinking tea, enjoying the duty and colorfulness from the mountains.

【Restaurant Information】Hani Huotang

Fried Sweet Bamboo Shoots

The small fried beef of the Hani nationality is made of minced beef cut into small pieces, and then stir-fried with mint leaves, Chinese prickly ash and millet. The taste of the pepper has the fragrance of mint leaves. Different tastes.

Just about to check out and go out, I saw a group of people sitting around the tea table at the door, drinking tea and roasting tofu around the stove. The boss greeted warmly to drink some tea again, and simply sat shoulder to shoulder with the strangers, forming a circle. Each person dipped in a plate of water, sandwiched the freshly baked tofu and blown it into his mouth. On the other side, the boss poured boiling water into the freshly roasted tea leaves. The tea soup was clear and fragrant.

During the conversation, I learned that it turns out that everyone is a diner who has never met each other. Either pass by for a view, or live in a nearby village. The boss invests in B&Bs and restaurants here, and settles down in the mountains. He drinks tea, watches the scenery, chats with different people every day in his spare time, or goes fishing in the terraced fields in the evening, and meets friends for a drink. While drinking tea and chatting, from drinking tea to tasting tea, from the tediousness of city life to the leisurely life in the mountains, several hours have passed without knowing it. "The mountains are as quiet as ancient times, and the days are as long as the young years." Time flows slowly amidst the crackling of the fire pit, becoming the most leisurely years in life.

【Restaurant Information】Hua Wo Wo Hani Toast

[Seventh stop] Shiping

The ancient city of Shiping has a completely different taste from the ancient cities I have seen before.

Inside the city wall, the stone road is flat and spacious, connecting old houses with a sense of age in all directions. The mottled bricks of the old house are still there, the faded wooden beams are still there, and the plaques written in ancient fonts are still there. Although the land behind has gradually grown tall buildings, the ancient city is still tightly attached to the ground, gathering and precipitating the power of the ages, and brewing a long-lasting fragrance.

There is no fanfare, no deafening sound. The doors of the shops on both sides of the street were open, selling common daily necessities. It seems that he has long expected that the things that tourists will not buy at his home are sold. The boss sitting at the door talks to himself, and does not show too much interest in tourists with cameras hanging on them. Here, it is a good place to walk leisurely without carefully avoiding shopping.

At night, the ancient city sleeps earlier. Occasionally, a few red lanterns hung on the window sills gave off a dim light. Even the barbecue stalls, which have always been open only at night, closed early in the evening, returning the ancient city to the silent night. I'm afraid that a little commotion or a little dazzling light will disturb this thousand-year-old dream.

live fish hot pot

Yilong Lake, adjacent to Shiping County, is the southernmost plateau freshwater lake in my country. Where there is a lake, there are fish, and along the lake, there are densely packed fish shops.

There are small fish ponds at home, whichever one is selected, fished out, quickly slaughtered, bloodletted and chopped into large pieces. When served, the fish was still a clean, bright white. After the water is boiled, put it into the pot. After a few minutes, the fish meat is so tender that it will be completely separated from the bone with just a light touch.

The taste of dipping in water is strong but it does not conceal the umami taste of the fish. The more you eat, the more spicy you will feel. Vegetables and tofu are self-service and distributed to each table in a fixed amount, and can be added at any time. What is amazing is the small shiitake mushrooms in the bottom of the pot. The fish soup is completely drilled into the gaps in the mushroom caps, and the juice overflows after one bite, which is another delightful experience on the tip of the tongue.

If you feel that cooking hot pot is too monotonous, the store can also help you make salt and pepper or braised fish nuggets. It takes a long time, but the taste is not worth looking forward to. Suitable for early adopters, but not suitable for truly satisfying appetite.

【Restaurant Information】 Longjing Yuzhuang

Shiping BBQ

The stewed ingredients have a slightly spicy taste. After grilling, they are brushed with a layer of hot sauce while taking advantage of the heat. It seemed that it was not satisfying again, so it was sprinkled with a layer of chili powder densely.

Put it into the mouth while it is hot, the burning sensation of the chili is infinitely magnified by the high temperature, and it explodes in the mouth like an atomic bomb. The feeling of burning and tearing came over, and there seemed to be an illusion for a moment: Could it be that he swallowed the fireball? Or is it a knife?

There is free warm soy milk in the corner of the hall, and I seem to suddenly understand the good intentions of the boss. Fortunately, the roasted melon is regarded as a "clear stream". The chili powder can be placed alone and can be dipped according to one's own taste. The crisp taste has a delicate fragrance. Otherwise, facing this table of passionate barbecue, I am afraid that I will cry all the time.

The small live shrimps in the reservoir are especially suitable for making drunken shrimps. The bowl is covered with a lid, and many shrimps are still struggling... At first glance, it looks cruel and bloody, but it is really heart-felt into the mouth: the shrimp meat is full of jelly-like Q bombs, and the whole peels off from the shell. The prawns are wrapped in a thick sauce, and between sucking, they are delicious and full of joy.

【Restaurant Information】Friends BBQ

Soy Milk Glutinous Rice

Soy milk fritters are standard for all Chinese breakfasts, and Yunnan is no exception. A breakfast shop in the ancient city has become the most lively stronghold in this area since early in the morning: those who are going to work, those who are going to take their children to interest classes, or those who are going to go out to play, come out of their homes and turn to this small shop. Eat a hearty breakfast in minutes and start your day.

There are also some diners who, over time, have their own collocations. The glutinous rice just out of the pot is sticky and glutinous, soaked in soy milk. The glutinous rice, which was originally huddled together, was washed away by the soy milk, and the texture of the Q-bomb was no longer difficult to chew, and the whole body was wrapped in a bean fragrance. After eating a warm bowl, the whole body seems to be oozing with dense beads of sweat, feeling refreshed.

The sauerkraut beef rice noodles here are made of Hani red rice, which is extremely tender and soft, lacking the firmness of ordinary rice noodles, but it can be paired with any soup base and toppings.

【Restaurant Information】Ximen Canteen

milk sweet liquor

[Eighth stop] Yuxi

Fuxian Lake lies on one side, and Hongta Mountain stands on one end. This city is a real "geomonic treasure". The famous musician Nie Er’s ancestral home is here, and traces of commemorating this great figure can be seen everywhere in the city: Nie Er Museum, Nie Er Park, painted sculptures with the theme of the national anthem scattered throughout the park... outstanding people The city nourishes and commemorates the great soul in its own way.

Any journey is always a spiritual journey, and tasting food ultimately provides nutrition for the soul. Looking at it this way, it is perfect to end the journey in this small town.

Eel Rice Noodles

Stir-fry eel in hot oil, add various condiments and pork bone soup and collect the juice, which is the "hat". The rice noodles are boiled, poured with bone broth, covered with a "cap", add mint, leeks and coriander, and you're done with a bowl of eel rice noodles. Hot and sour and delicious, the eel is fresh but not fishy, ​​the body is soft without traces of overcooking; the rice noodles are soft but not soft, with a slightly fermented sour taste. All the tastes and the combination of ingredients are just right. Only in Yunnan, any kind of rice noodles can completely conquer the taste buds in an instant.

【Restaurant Information】Ding Kee Field Eel Rice Noodles

Soy Sauce Chicken

The fried miscellaneous mushrooms in the store, at first I thought it was a way to eat many kinds of mushrooms fried together. After serving the table, I found that there was only one kind of fungus in the shape, and I suddenly realized that the fungus was called "miscellaneous fungus". The outer skin is a bit red, but the inside is clean and milky white. After being fried with rich oil, the outside of the fungus is covered with a layer of oil like shining light. Put it in your mouth, it's full of delicious flavor.

After eating mushrooms from Yunnan, I realized that the mushrooms I ate before can only be called "mushrooms".

【Restaurant Information】Hongyuan Restaurant

ice porridge

【Restaurant Information】Master Guo Ice Porridge

Yuxi Snack Street

At the entrance on one side, there is a whole area of ​​food stalls: pork belly roast bait that looks very crispy and satisfying, ice-cold and fragrant Thai-style milk tea in bags, Dai-flavored mango that is rarely seen elsewhere in Yunnan, and others First put it on the tree stump and beat it with a wooden hammer until it becomes soft, and then tear the mixed dried beef... Many authentic Yunnan delicacies can be found here.

At the exit on the other side of Xiaomiao Street, the yellow-green signboard of Dai’s Sour Duoli is particularly large and conspicuous. Every evening, many dishes are sold out. It is enough to see how much this hot and sour snack is favored by the locals.

This snack street in the center of Yuxi is actually an area composed of Xiaomiao Street, Renmin Road, and Xinxing Road. Every evening, the place is so lively that people almost pass by each other. Compared with many small daily mobile phone shops on Xiaomiao Street, Renmin Road and Xinxing Road are mostly time-honored restaurants, food stalls with carts or small shops selling cheap clothes. Many delicacies are hidden in this hustle and bustle.

Dried pea grains are soaked in water, peeled, added water, and ground into a slurry with a stone mill. The ground pea milk is boiled in boiling water, heated bit by bit, and bubbling, making a sound of "嗤嗤嗤嗤". After cooking, filter, cool and cut into pieces, and serve it cold. It is the pea jelly that people in Yunnan like.

The "Hung Kee Cold Rice Noodles" in the snack street is a time-honored brand, and pea jelly is also one of the signatures. Kunming's sweet soy sauce is indispensable, add sugar, vinegar, pepper and other ingredients, sprinkle with leek segments and meat sauce, and the colorful and refreshing delicious pea flour is ready to go.

In the middle of the road, a tricycle firmly occupies the "C position". Grandma Ma, who sells steamed cake and lotus root powder, sets up a stall here all year round. The number of steamed cakes is limited every day, and it may be sold out if it arrives late. The hand-made lotus root starch is very dense, and the steamed cake is placed in it safely, even if it is shaken, it will not shift. The steamed cake has a dense taste, and it is easy to feel dry and choked after eating it alone. The existence of lotus root powder just makes up for this regret. The thick lotus root starch is wrapped with small pieces of steamed cakes, and the sweetness and moistness are just right. Although it is a dessert, it is enough for a main course.

Or find a small shop after dinner, sit on the eaves of the second floor, and taste the traditional Yunnan food "paoluda" and homemade sweet-scented osmanthus yogurt. Watching people coming and going on the street, and occasionally meeting a curious kitten living somewhere under the eaves, there are surprises in ordinary nights.

Night has come. Walk back to the hotel with the last aftertaste of the long journey. Xiaomiao Street is still brightly lit, and several nearby shopping malls are also bustling with people. How reluctant to sleep in this city.

A bright moon hangs high in the sky, sometimes covered by passing clouds. On the last night in Yunnan, the warm yellow lights on the street looked more and more like the light at home, and the shy evening breeze caressed the passerby who was about to return home, caressing her hair and skin, footprints and shadows.

"The trip to the tip of the tongue, there will be a period later."