Pork with Bean Sauce, Rolling Eating Way
As the traditional well-known food, the dish pork with bean sauce stuffed in bean curd (pork with bean sauce for abbreviation) has not that long history. However, there's a touching story behind filled with emotion.
It's said that in the 1930s, there was a tenement located 2 kilometers northeast away from the Forbidden City. An old man who resided there lived a life by selling tofu. People all called him "Senior Chen". Actually, he was born in Northeast China. Forced by natural disaster and man-made misfortunes, he had to come to Beijing with his 4-year-old grandson whose name is Gouzi. Their life in Beijing was not easy at all. They depended on each other and lived a hard life just by earnings from selling tofu.
Pork with Bean Sauce, Rolling Eating Way
As the traditional well-known food, the dish pork with bean sauce stuffed in bean curd (pork with bean sauce for abbreviation) has not that long history. However, there's a touching story behind filled with emotion.
It's said that in the 1930s, there was a tenement located 2 kilometers northeast away from the Forbidden City. An old man who resided there lived a life by selling tofu. People all called him "Senior Chen". Actually, he was born in Northeast China. Forced by natural disaster and man-made misfortunes, he had to come to Beijing with his 4-year-old grandson whose name is Gouzi. Their life in Beijing was not easy at all. They depended on each other and lived a hard life just by earnings from selling tofu.
One day, Senior Chen took Gouzi to deliver tofu to one roast duck restaurant.
When Gouzi saw the oily roast duck, he was deeply attracted by the fragrance and stood at the gate, not willing to leave. When it came to Spring Festival, Senior Chen bought some meat for making dumplings. However, Gouzi was still thinking of the roast duck and refused to eat dumplings. He cried out to eat roast duck for the festival. It was difficult for Senior Chen to pay for the roast duck. Suddenly, an idea came out. He turned
to Gouzi, "You stay in the room and wait for grandpa to cook roast duck for you. " Gouzi stopped crying, had a smile and obediently went into the room for the dream roast duck.
Senior Chen didn't eat roast duck either but he had seen it before. Hence, he decided to imitate the appearance of roast duck by cooking pork. He picked out the lean meat and cut into strips, fried with soy sauce, which made the meat so fragrant.
Then, he cut the bean curd into pieces for rolling the "duck" as stuffing. The delicious"roast duck" is done! Gouzi came out and got excited seeing the nice dish. He started to roll the "duck" and scallions with bean curd and ate one by one. The grandson and grandpa observed a happy Spring Festival.
Several years later, Gouzi was sent to school by Senior Chen and became an apprentice of Quanjude Roast Duck restaurant after graduation. Through unremitting efforts, he finally became an excellent chef. At that time, it was so easy for Gouzi to eat roast duck. However, he never tasted the good flavor of roast duck as he had eaten for the first time with his grandpa. Therefore, Gouzi went to ask grandpa how he made the roast duck for him with so great flavor. Senior Chen told Gouzi the truth. At that moment, Gouzi realized that how much grandpa cared and loved him.
With faithful determination, Gouzi decided to pass down the dish. Based on grandpa's cooking method and with much creative innovation, Gouzi successfully made the popular dish of pork with bean sauce suitable for people of all ages and enjoyed by everyone.