02x08 - Sour Fruits

[bunniefuu]

Sourness is one of the basic tastes.

In Yunnan, China,
people utilize various fruits...


to create a complex regional flavor
for the palate.


By stimulating saliva
and gastric acid secretion,

sourness increases one's appetite.

In Yunnan,

some fruits are sour to the core.

After processing, it becomes
a popular snack to awaken the taste buds.

However, some fruits are too sour

and are hard to be consumed directly.
YUNNAN DEHONG, RUILI

Yunnan people are very clever
and adaptive,


which makes them
shine in their culinary arts.


Mutu Tiweng is a master
in accurately utilizing sour fruits.

This lemon is produced locally.
Lemons are mainly exported overseas.
So, we usually use lime for cooking.
Lime has more juice.
Also, it's more fragrant.
These two fruits are close relatives.

Lime has more fragrant substances
and organic acid content.

The sour taste is sharp and intense.

In Southeast Asia and Yunnan, China,

they're usually the finishing touch
in dishes.

LIME CHICKEN FEET
LIME CHICKEN
YUNNAN DALI, BAOFENG VILLAGE

As compared to lime's pureness
and simplicity,


another kind of fruit
has a rough sourness and bitter taste.

September is the month it becomes ripe.

It's practically stored
in every Dali household.


Chef Yang Weidong's home
is not an exception.


This is the sour papaya
from the Rosaceae family


that is abundant
in the southwestern plateau of China.


Carica papaya is an imported fruit
that's sweet and juicy.

Its flesh is a bit tough.

The rich sour papaya
is a local indigenous fruit.

COLD SOUR PAPAYA

The annual production
of sour papaya in Dianxi

is more than five million kilograms.

As a simple cold dish,
it's sour and crunchy.


When mixed with spices,
it's sour, spicy, and refreshing.


When stir-fried with meat,
it stimulates the appetite.

In Yunnan's long lineup of sour fruits,

there's one that's like
a mysterious hermit.


It only grows wildly
between the mountains.


Wang Fei decided to hike up the mountain
and find its traces.

WANG FEI
It's really there.
Let me climb up and check.
Wait for me down here.
Guochen, there are lots of them.
Get a small basket and catch them.
Here.
Dad, there's no need to get more.
This is enough.
Gosh, it's too sour.

Ripe sour pome
emits an enticing fruity smell,

yet it's extremely sour when eaten.

After pounding it,
mix with salt and chili.

It's a homemade appetizer.

Today, Wang Fei will use these pomes
that are hard to come by

to try to create a new dish.

Yunnan people are very particular

with the pairing of ingredients
when using sour fruit in dishes.

Based on the level of sourness and flavor,

the three chefs will find
the most compatible ingredient

for each kind of sour fruit.
YUNNAN DEHONG, RUILI
In Mutu Tiweng's recipe,

lime is best paired with something
that comes from deep in the mountains.

Native chicken in Jingpo Tribe mountains
can only be caught at night.
They always run around during the daytime.
So, they exercise a lot.
Their meat texture is more tender
when cooked.

Roasted on an open fire,

the chicken meat has an added layer
of burnt aroma.

Cook with spices for another minutes

and the long-lasting spicy aroma
slowly penetrates inside the chicken.


Dry it naturally.
Then, shred them by hand.

By maintaining the structure of fibers,

the flavor can easily absorb into the meat
and it guarantees its texture.


With the addition of sand ginger,
basil, and coriander,


the native chicken meat slowly
presents a complex flavor.


Various kinds of aromatic substances
fill our nasal cavity.


The way to use them accurately and evenly
is the key to making this dish.


Its juice breaks through the tough
but thin film within.

The lime's power is unleashed.

Alpha hydroxy acid makes the texture
of the meat tender and refreshing.

Lime releases a complex fragrance,

making the originally intense spicy aroma

more gentle and refreshing.
GHOST CHICKEN

Shredded chicken
paired with fragrant spices


gives the nose and the mouth
a three-dimensional experience.


This is an old dish in Jingpo,
the Ghost Chicken.


As compared to the simplicity
and directness of lime,


cooking sour papaya
needs a few more steps.

What are you making, Dong?
Sour papaya fish.

The crucian carp's meat
is tender and sweet.


Paired with sour papaya,
it becomes a famous dish in Dali.


Fry the crucian carp until golden brown
and let it stew.

The sauce is rich in flavor.

But the umami flavor of the fish
hasn't been completely brought out.

To Yang Weidong,

it's hard for fresh sour papaya
to complete this mission.

After drying for two days,

the moisture in sour papaya
has evaporated.


The sourness is rich and concentrated.
It's showtime.


With the combination
of dried sour papaya and fish stew,


the alpha hydroxy acid completely
brings out the umami flavor of the fish.

It has a sour and rich fragrance.
SOUR PAPAYA FISH
When sour papaya ripens every year,

it's time for old friends to reunite.

A pot of sour papaya fish
and a glass of wine,

a year of hard work is worth savoring.

Wang Fei, who is far away in Kunming,
intends to introduce new ideas.

WANG FEI

He wants to pair lake shrimp
with sour pome.


How to remove the fishy smell
and innovate the dish at the same time?

That's the biggest challenge for Wang Fei.

Mix sour pome with various spices
and extract the juice.


The rich alpha hydroxy acid
penetrates the spices.

It's direct and simple.

There's no need
to prepare the shrimp separately.


Wang Fei likes the simple
and direct way of cooking.

The sour pome shrimp is here.
SOUR POME SHRIMP
After marinating for minutes,

the sour substances
weaken the amides in the shrimps.


It removes the fishy smell
and increases umami.


Fresh shrimp covered in
sour and spicy juice

brings out its raw freshness.

The shrimp is a blast of crisp chewiness.

After the refreshing stimulation,
it's the sweet aftertaste.

To Wang Fei,

his family's love for this dish
is the best affirmation for this dish.


Originally a sour
and bitter mountain fruit,


its value is recognized
through a unique combination.


Yunnan people
get their ingredients locally.


They transform sour fruits
by adding a vital finishing touch.


This is their exclusive knowledge
obtained from food combinations.


It also shows their pursuit and passion
for natural flavors.