Notes on Food and Literature —— Old Beijing Eggplant

- 1-

"You can look for it in Beijing. One or two people out of a hundred know this eggplant. Many people have never heard of it, let alone eaten it; As for what I have eaten, I seldom know how to do it. Unless someone over 50 has eaten this dish at home, not everyone knows this craft. "

In the sixties and seventies, grain, oil, vegetables, meat and daily necessities were scarce. Cui Daiyuan, a native of Beijing, once mentioned in the book "Jingweier" that most people want to eat roasted eggplant at home, afraid of wasting oil, so a pot of eggplant should use half a catty of oil, because eggplant eats oil. In the impression of old Beijingers, roasted eggplant should be more expensive than meat; Secondly, eggplant is a typical seasonal dish in summer. Round eggplant originated in Beijing, with thin skin and thick flesh, is dark purple and shiny. Of course, it must be tasted at the beginning of the season, and it is expensive. Third, there are countless eggplants. You can't cook a dish without two or three eggplants.

After reading the whole book, I rationally found that there is no description of "love to eat eggplant" in "Memory of Beijing Children about Eating" written by him according to the four seasons.

Mr. Liang Shiqiu (1902- 1987) introduced several ways to eat eggplant, such as "roasted eggplant, boiled eggplant (dipped in vinegar and garlic), cold-water eggplant, eggplant box and eggplant fried sauce", but there was no sign of "liking eggplant".

In addition, there are Cui Daiyuan's Dictionary of Eating Goods, Wang Zengqi's Old Taste, Tang's Sweet and Sour, and Tang's Talking about Eating. , not described.

-2-

As an old saying goes, you get what you pay. Ordinary people want to eat grilled eggplant and have to go to a restaurant to eat it. Old people just don't believe in this evil, and only two handfuls of soybeans and a round eggplant have solved this problem. Eggplant gradually evolved into a private kitchen at home. In the hot summer, according to the exquisite food that the old people have pondered out in the season, they appear on the table at home on time.

Benedict eggplant, also known as Benedict fresh eggplant, is characterized by no oil and simple operation. Although it is vegetarian, it tastes refreshing and delicious in summer. People call it Benedict because it makes a gurgling sound when cooking.

The grandmother's private kitchen I want to introduce here embodies the traditional home cooking practice in old Beijing.

-3-

Enter the business preparation stage:

"This is a memory deeply imprinted in my mind when I was a child: a tall woman stood with her hands around her waist, and my grandmother was waiting by the fire of a house in the city yard.

In summer, the midday sun shines all over the yard. She is busy preparing dinner for her family in the kitchen. "

My husband is cooking this dish at home and telling stories about his childhood. The dishes that can be figured out only by childhood memories depend on his childhood experiences and family habits, and his reason admires him.

"Eggplant harvest season, so many eggplant, can change the pattern to burn delicious, it takes some effort.

Let's start with the preparation materials. Cut the round eggplant into diamond-shaped pieces one or two days in advance, sprinkle the tomato skin down on the perforated grate and steam the steamed bread, and dry it in the sun. When the weather is hot, half a day in the sun is enough; It needs to be aired for a day or two when it rains on cloudy days. After the eggplant skin is drained, shriveled and evaporated, it feels very difficult to pick it up, so take it into the house for later use.

In the eyes of the elderly, the preparation of ingredients should also be carefully completed. Eggplant pieces should be cut into pieces with purple skin, and be careful not to be big and sharp triangles (if you try to cut into triangles, you will definitely be thrown into the basket by the old man, which is not negotiable. Do it again).

In addition, put two handfuls of soybeans in a bowl with hot water half a day in advance to activate the natural activity of soybeans, and immediately move them under the tap water pipe to wash water. The ratio of water to soybeans is about 2: 1. Put the bowl in a cool place in the house and slowly soak the wet soybeans, so as to make authentic traditional flavor. "

My husband spoke slowly, nodded and studied rationally, and agreed in his heart.

On the Internet, you can find out how to make a video introduction. You use dried soybeans, stir-fry them in a hot pot or cook them directly in water for 15 minutes, then slurp and season them with eggplant. After reading it, the reason unconsciously shook her head and expressed her inner opposition to this practice.

Think about it, in the era of food shortage, all methods of wasting firewood, grain and oil and ingredients will be abandoned by the elderly who cook at home, and the laborious and time-consuming home cooking is simply a piece of cake for the elderly who have a lot of time in their hands.

Withered eggplant can absorb the flavor of soybeans and seasonings, and the taste is still so soft and smooth; In the process of cooking, soybeans are easy to mature, and the fragrance is easy to be squeezed out because of foaming. If dry stir-fried or dried soybeans are used, the bean core is hard. As for the probability that it can be cooked thoroughly, is it delicious? It is debatable!