Hebei Food Xianghe Meat Pie
1. Historical Origins
Xianghe meat pie is known as one of the "Top Ten Famous Snacks in Hebei Province", and its origin can be traced back to the early Ming Dynasty. After Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, the people of Xianghe presented special meat pies to Zhu Di, who tasted them and praised them highly. Since then, Xianghe meat pies have become famous and have moved from court banquets to people's tables. Its predecessor can even be traced back to the Turkic pancake more than a thousand years ago.
2. Features
- Rich taste: It is known for its thin skin, thick meat and fragrant aroma. The noodles are soft, the meat is fresh and tender, oily but not greasy, moist but not dry, and has a mellow taste.
- Diverse fillings: Traditionally, pork is the main filling. Nowadays, in addition to the common pork filling, there are also innovative flavors such as beef, vegetarian filling, and seafood filling to meet the needs of different groups of people.
3. Production process
1. Dough: Generally, use warm water to knead the dough with an appropriate ratio of flour to water. After kneading into a smooth dough, it needs to be proofed to make the dough softer and more elastic. Some methods require proofing multiple times to make the crust "thin but not broken, tough but not hard". For example, add about 300 grams of warm water to 500 grams of flour, stir while pouring and kneading the dough. Apply oil on the surface of the dough or wrap it with plastic wrap and let it rise for 20 - 40 minutes or even longer.
2. Season the filling: Taking pork filling as an example, choose pork front leg meat with a fat-to-lean ratio of 3:7 to ensure it is fresh, tender and not greasy. Add salt, chicken essence, white pepper powder, thirteen spices, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and other seasonings, and also add chopped green onion or diced green onion to enhance the flavor and chopped ginger to remove the fishy smell. Stir evenly in the same direction to allow the seasoning to fully blend with the meat filling. Add about 30 grams of minced ginger, 300 grams of chopped green onion, etc. to 500 grams of minced meat.
3. Wrapping and rolling the dough: Divide the dough into small pieces and roll it into thin slices with thick middle and thin edges; put thick meat filling on the dough, leaving blank space around; then wrap the dough, which can be folded into three layers or rolled up to seal; let it rest for a while after wrapping, wait for the gluten to relax, and then gently roll it into a pancake of even thickness, taking care not to break it.
4. Frying: Preheat a frying pan or electric baking pan, pour in a proper amount of cooking oil, fry slowly over medium-low heat, turn over frequently so that the patties are evenly heated from all sides, fry until both sides are golden brown, and make sure the meat filling is cooked through.
4. Tasting Location
- Xianghe County: In Xianghe, there are many time-honored shops like "Da Zhang Rou Bing" that adhere to traditional craftsmanship, where you can taste the authentic Xianghe Rou Bing; there are also many emerging restaurants that innovate while retaining traditions and provide a variety of flavors. The Xianghe Meat Pie Cultural Festival held every year is a great opportunity to taste and learn about Xianghe meat pie. You can also watch demonstrations of production techniques and participate in interactive food games.
- Other regions: Some restaurants that specialize in Hebei cuisine or northern flavors may also supply Xianghe meat patties; with the development of e-commerce, some businesses provide frozen or pre-made Xianghe meat patties, which can be ordered online and simply processed upon receipt before being enjoyed.
5. Matching recommendations
- Millet porridge: The mellow taste of Xianghe meat pie paired with light millet porridge can neutralize the greasiness and make the stomach more comfortable.
- Cold dishes: Refreshing and delicious cold dishes such as cold bean curd and cold cucumber can add a refreshing taste to your meal and enrich your taste experience.