[water trickling]
[droplets ripple]
[narrator] The collision of ingredientsis mysterious and explosive.
[upbeat music]
With the help of natural forces,
the people of Yunnan createa whole new experience of flavors.
[light music]
[narrator] A new flavor is introducedto fresh vegetables
after they have been pickled.
And the tasteof pickled vegetables varies.
In the west of Yunnan,
there are many typesof modest pickled vegetables.
But, with the useof different ingredients,
the flavors can vary.
The Green DragonCross Ocean Soup is ready.
YUNNAN MANGSHI, ZHEFANG TOWN
[narrator] October is the monthwhen sow thistle is harvested.
The sow thistle of Zhefang Townis especially big and bushy.
And like the Chinese mustard,
sow thistle has a spicyand astringent flavor.
-[stem cracks]-[dirt rustles]
For Jiang Caizhi,
it only takes 15 days for the sow thistleto have a completely different taste.
[light music]
[narrator] Salt breaks downthe sulfur compounds
and eliminates the bitternessof sow thistle,
while, at the same time,it removes excess water.
[bits rustling]
But, Jiang Caizhi has a higher standardwhen it comes to dehydrating vegetables.
[suspenseful music]
[thuds]
[narrator] Five kilograms of rocks
compress and break downthe cell walls of the vegetable.
With the help of sunlight and pressure,
it only takes three hours to reducethe sow thistle’s water content by half.
Also at Dehong, there’s another wayof making pickled vegetables.
This method leaves the vegetableswith a stronger pickled taste.
[tranquil music]
[thumps]
[narrator] A bowl of plain vegetable soup
only needs a fewof these pickled vegetables
to make it perfectly flavorfuland appetizing.
-[indistinct chatter]-[slurps]
[rustling]
[narrator] Young radish stems and leaves
are the best ingredientsto make pickled vegetables.
XIE YUEFANG
Xie Yuefang is the eldest daughterin her family.
Her mother wants to pass onher pickling technique to Xie Yuefang.
This is a tradition of the Dai people.
[tranquil music]
[narrator] The process depends entirelyon Mother Nature.
The highlands get the strongestand most sufficient amount of sunlight.
Ten days later,the radish leaves are almost dry.
As the vegetable fibers are preservedin their original form,
they now make an ideal medium for flavors.
[flames crackling]
[upbeat music]
[water splashing]
[thumping]
[narrator] Multiple soakings and beatingstenderize the radish leaves
while still retaining their chewiness.
They are now ready to be seasoned.
The Dehong land has nutrient-rich soil
providing the most ideal groundfor rice paddies to flourish.
[grains rustle]
[narrator] Home-farmed glutinous ricecontains the perfect amount of starch,
and is the key ingredientfor Xie Yuefang’s pickled vegetables.
[tranquil music]
[tranquil music continues]
[narrator] She carefully massagesthe steamed glutinous rice
with the radish leaves to mix them evenly.
Such a simple and modest methodof handling the ingredients
will give the most traditionaland the most mellow of flavors.
Jiang Caizhi uses glutinous rice
to make pickled vegetables as wellbut she has a secret trick.
[rippling]
[narrator] After fermentingand cooking the glutinous rice,
she does a simple distillation process.
[narrator] This homemade white winefacilitates the production of sourness.
At the same time,the esterification of ethanol
will give a more expressiveand direct flavor experience.
[wine trickling]
The white wine is strong and rich…
along with the fragrant turnip stems,
and some spicy chili powder.
The final tasteshall be determined by time.
[upbeat music]
[retreating footsteps]
[dog barks]
-[hooves thumping]-[cowbell clanging]
[narrator] Zhefang Townlies 1,100 meters above sea level,
and the winter temperature during the day
is about 15 degrees Celsius hotterthan at night.
The temperature rises during the daytime,facilitating the fermentation.
It then plummets at nightto suppress bacterial growth.
The cycle repeats itselffor about half-a-month,
and then you’ll getauthentic Dehong pickled vegetables.
[rustling]
[calm music]
[narrator] With 55 yearsof pickling experience,
Jiang Caizhi performsthe best quality control.
It’s tasty.
SPICY PICKLED VEGETABLES
[narrator] Mature pickled vegetables show
a semitransparent, yellowish-green color.
The fermentation elevatesthe sourness, sweetness, and mellowness.
accompanied by a slight aroma of ethanol.
In Dehong, although pickled vegetableshave a very distinctive flavor,
they mesh well with just aboutany other ingredient.
Fry it with potato strips, and it makesfor a sweet, sour, and crispy treat.
STIR-FRIED SPICY PICKLED VEGETABLESWITH POTATOES
[narrator] Fry it with pork,and it creates a rich and mellow dish.
STIR-FRIED SPICY PICKLEDVEGETABLES WITH PORK
COLD SPICY PICKLED VEGETABLES
[narrator] Toss it into a salad,
and it’s crunchy, refreshing,and appetizing.
[light music]
[indistinct chatter]
[woman chuckles]
[narrator] It goes wellwith white rice or wine.
Turing pickled vegetablesinto a few simple dishes
make Jiang Caizhi and her familysatisfied and happy.
[indistinct chatter]
-[engine revving]-[dog barking in distance]
YUNNAN MANGSHI, DENGGAO VILLAGE
[narrator] While Jiang Caizhiand her family
are enjoyingtheir pickled vegetable dishes,
Xie Yuefang is still waiting for hersto be ready.
A month-long fermentation process
completely breaks down the starchin the glutinous rice,
turning it into lactic acid.
The water level increasesby one-third in the vat.
This vat of sour waterhas its own special use.
[tranquil music]
[rooster crows]
[flame crackling]
[narrator] Glutinous ricethat hasn’t been broken down
melts completely under the heat.
[water burbles]
After boiling for eight hours,
the sour water has been reducedinto a paste,
showing an alluring yellowish color.
This is the signature tasteof a Yunnan barbecue.
PICKLED VEGETABLE PASTE
Pickled vegetable paste.
[sizzling]
[narrator] Pickled vegetable pastehas a smooth and viscous consistency.
By mixing it with various types of spices,it can be spicy, sour, and appetizing.
Other than eating it directly,it is also an important flavor changer.
[rooster clucking]
[narrator] A hint of sournessspreads in the ambiance.
Xie Yuefang’s pickled vegetablesare finally ready.
[water trickling]
[tranquil music]
[rustles]
[narrator] By dehydrating them again,
the radish leaves continueto undergo oxidation.
The accumulation of flavors continuesand the texture firms up even more.
It only takes one last stepto complete the formation of flavor.
-[rustling]-[flame crackling]
[narrator] Under heat and pressure,
the radish leaves and stemsare again tenderized.
As she mixes inthe pickled vegetable paste,
the sourness continues to get stronger.
[light music]
[light music continues]
[narrator] A week of drying under the sun,
and the radish leavesare completely dehydrated,
transformed into dried pickles.
DRIED PICKLED VEGETABLES
The use of pickled vegetable paste
is the last touch-up of flavorfor dried pickled vegetables.
[burbling]
[narrator] The dried pickled vegetablesare finally ready.
They are the concentrationof flavor over time.
With just a small amount,
it can give a whole bowl of pork soupa mellow yet rich and tarred taste.
PORK RADISH SOUPWITH DRY PICKLED VEGETABLES
[distant chatter]
[narrator] Xie Yuefang’s first attemptwas a success.
Soon, she can take overher mother’s responsibilities
of preparing meals for her family.
[indistinct chatter]
[light music]
[narrator] Strong and astringent sulfides
are the primary defense mechanismof cruciferous vegetables.
But, the people of Yunnanfound a miraculous way
to transform ordinary flavorsinto ambrosial tastes,
with the use of glutinous rice,and the help of microorganisms,
passed on from generation to generation.
[light music]
[closing theme music]
Subtitle translation by Coleen Chua