02x03 - Sa Piě

[bunniefuu]

Ordinary ingredients
that don't seem to match


meet and reach the same goal
by different means.


They come together in an incredible way
in the hands of the people of Yunnan


and becomes an amazing example
of mankind's food.

On the latter part of October,

the people in Dai Tribe's village
in China's southwestern part

are immersed in a party to celebrate

the harvest season, Ganduo Festival,

and the authentic Dai food
is a requirement.


The last part of the party's meal
is a kind of a dip

paired with meat and vegetables cold dish.

In the Dai dialect, it's called
"Sapie."

It means raw and cold food.

This is a delicacy
that locals can't live without.

In recent years, it has become the target

of foreign tourists
in trying on Yunnan local delicacies.


Eating food raw
signifies a race against time.


All the ingredients
must be prepared at once.

YUNNAN MANGSHI
In the suburbs of Mangshi,

a traditional way of cooking
is taking place.

Cook in open fire for half an hour.

The pork blood
turns into semi-solidified chunks.


This is the ingredients
that Dai chef, Jinyan Xiangmian,

has been greatly looking forward to.

It's best consumed within two hours.

As compared to the freshness requirement
of pork blood,

another ingredient of
Sapie
can readily be found in the market.

Brown granules.

After washing them in water,
they become bitter.


This is key to the taste buds
of people in Dehong.


But veterans prefer its natural flavor
before it's dried.

GU JIANZHONG

This is the rare ingredient
that only the loyal patrons can buy.


This is the section of ox intestine
near the cecum.

It's a rare delicacy for the locals.

They call it "bitter intestines."
Yes.
Have some.
I'm from Shanghai.

I came here a long time ago
as sent-down youth.

At first, I wasn't used to eating
Sapie.

As time went by,
I fell in love with eating
Sapie.
YUNNAN MANGSHI, LAZHANG VILLAGE

Beef tenderloin with more meat
and fewer tendons


is the most common meat ingredient
used for Bitter
Sapie's
dip sauce.

Continuously pounding it for half an hour
breaks the fibers in the muscles.


This solves the problem of difficulty
in chewing raw meats.

Knotweed is refreshing and lively.

Culantro is fragrant and rich.

Ramson is the last ingredient.

The rich sulfide in it
brings about a unique spicy aroma.

At the same time, it also kills bacteria.

After adding many different fresh spices,

the minced beef
gradually becomes strongly fragrant


waiting to be marinaded in a soup
that solely belongs to it.


The secret to the soup
lies in the bitter intestines.


Within the intestines are cow gastric
juice, bile, grass, and other substances.

Cook them for two hours under low heat.

The pure fragrance of the field
slowly starts to emanate.

Once the fragrance is out,
remove from heat.

The cooled bitter intestines soup
brings a unique bitter flavor.


Aromatic molecules in the spices
seep into the beef.

The foundation of Bitter
Sapie's
flavor
is rich and mysterious.


The taste of the dip still needs
to be handled by a separate medium.


The outer skin of bitter intestines
is one of the best matches with the dip.

Grill on low heat for minutes.

The skin will contract
and it becomes fragrant and crispy.


This is the finishing touch
to the meat and vegetable cold dish.

Lastly, put a piece of Shuanshuan chili.

BITTER
SAPIE

Now, we have a complete dish
of Bitter
Sapie.

The refreshing cold food
enclosed in rich and smooth dip


inhibits the bitterness of the past
and leaves sweetness in your mouth.


Just like Mr. Gu, who has established
his roots in Yunnan for years.

The past vanished like a cloud of smoke.

The reunion of a family
is the most beautiful aftertaste.

In the lives of the locals,

there are no rules
to the combination of
Sapie.

You can pair it with anything you want.

Lime juice with cooked minced beef
tastes refreshing and warm.

It's the entry-level Lemon
Sapie.

LEMON
SAPIE

Semi-fermented pickled vegetables
paired with blanched sour ants

is a refreshing and sour Ant
Sapie.

ANT
SAPIE

Sour bamboo sh**t juice
purified by charcoal

and raw minced fish with spices

becomes the soft and sour Fish
Sapie.

FISH
SAPIE
YUNNAN MANGSHI, NAMU VILLAGE

Sourness is the signature taste element
in
Sapie.

As compared to other ingredients,

the fishy smell of raw pork blood
is more distinct.


How do we make the smell
and taste blend harmoniously?

Jinyan Xiangmian has his secret to that.

Fennel is refreshing and sweet.

Tabasco pepper is spicy and stimulating.

Garlic is an essential ingredient.

The live organisms within
have strong anti-bacterial functions.


Allicin can inhibit a part of
the fishy smell of pork blood.

However, these aren't enough.

Jinyan Xiangmian needs the assistance
of a strong sour substance.


The soup from cooked pickled vegetables
has a strong sour taste.

After preparation,

the smooth and rich pickled vegetable soup
blends thoroughly with the pork blood.

The strong sour taste and spiciness

is just enough to inhibit
the unfriendly smell of the pork blood.


Another ingredient from pork dishes
is raw pork skin.


Together with the pork blood dip,
it forms today's last dish,

Blood
Sapie.

BLOOD
SAPIE

The sourness of the pickled vegetable soup
awakens the taste buds.


The smooth jelly-like texture
of raw pork blood

paired with the chewy raw skin

brings a new form of fun to food chewing.

On the last day of the Ganduo Festival,

Jinyan Xiangmian gave his friends
a surprise.


Cultural diversity
protected the diversity of eating habits.


The consumption of raw meat,
which has disappeared in various areas,


has been completely preserved
and continued here.

This kind of ancient eating habits

changes with various generations
and regions as well


and it becomes more widely understood
and accepted.