Pingding dried cucumber (a specialty of Pingding, Shanxi)

The basic introduction of Pingding cucumber jerky

Pingding cucumber jerky is mainly produced in Hougou and Hetou villages in Pingding County, and began production from 1368-1398 (Ming Hongwu period). It is favored by people for its crisp, refreshing, rich aroma, and convenient consumption. The Qing Dynasty designated it as a tribute item to the royal family and enjoyed the reputation of "dragon tendons"

What is the nutritional value of flattened cucumber jerkyCucumbers are rich in essential nutrients such as sugars, glycosides, amino acids, vitamins (A, B2, C), calcium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium salts, which can promote gastrointestinal motility and lower cholesterol. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that cucumbers have the effects of reducing heat, relieving warmth, and promoting diuresis, making them suitable for treating conditions such as urinary obstruction, limb swelling, hypertension, and jaundice

What are the characteristics of flattened cucumber jerky products

The skin and flesh are all green and lovely, with a smooth and wrinkle free surface. When eaten, they are crisp and sweet, tough on the outside and crispy on the inside, with a fragrant and delicious taste. They are favored by people for their crispness, refreshing taste, rich aroma, and convenient consumption

In Pingding Guzhou, the villages of Hougou and Hetou at the foot of Guanshan Mountain in the west of Pingding Prefecture have the longest history, most exquisite craftsmanship, highest quality, and largest production and sales of "dried cucumber". According to the legend of the people of Hougou, the production technology of Pingding dried cucumber was created by the ancestors of Liu and Li families in Hougou Village. During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the ancestors of the Liu and Li families migrated from Hongdong to Pingding Prefecture and chose Hougou Village as their long-term settlement. This land is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with dense trees and rivers flowing all year round. The climate in the area is pleasant and very suitable for cultivation and survival. They have been working hard on this land, reproducing for decades. In addition to cultivating food crops on the slopes, they also use abundant water resources to dig wells and develop vegetable gardens, planting cucumbers and other vegetables. At that time, there were no vegetables to eat in winter, so they dried the large field vegetables from summer and autumn and prepared them for winter consumption. After multiple experiments, we finally succeeded in producing dried cucumber using coal fire, namely the "Longjin" brand dried cucumber

Method for making flat cucumber jerky

There is a strict operating procedure in the production process of flat cucumber jerky, from on-site sampling to roasting on fire, with strict requirements and regulations in each step, and no carelessness is allowed

Materials used

The raw material for making dried cucumbers is not ordinary cucumbers, but a special variety that has been cultivated by the people of Hougou and Tou villages for a long time. The Eastern Jin Dynasty called it "Pingding Cucumber". This cucumber has a smooth and prickly appearance, a pure green color, thick flesh, and few flesh, making it particularly suitable for processing. Dried cucumbers made from this type of cucumber, soaked in water, look like freshly picked cucumbers

Baking

The main equipment used in the grilling process of cucumber jerky includes ovens, coal, grills, racks, scrapers, and knives

The oven is very similar to the stove used by villagers for cooking. It is made of bricks, about 80 centimeters high and 90 centimeters wide, and its length depends on the number of burners. The burner is circular with a diameter of about 25 centimeters; The furnace is trumpet shaped, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, with a width of about 45 centimeters at the bottom; The depth from the stove bar to the stove mouth is about 50 centimeters; The ash pit is dug underground. Coal must be smokeless coal from the eastern Shanxi region and mixed with red soil to form coal cake before use. The grill is constructed with wooden edges and poles. The rack is used to string dried cucumber strips and grill them on a grill. The scraper is the same as the commonly used skin scraper in households, but it should be chosen with narrow seams, so that the scraped skin is thinner. The shape of the knife is like a sickle, used to scrape off the flesh and cut the strips of the melon

Tasting and eating methods for flat cucumber jerky

When eating flat cucumber jerky, special attention is paid to soaking it in cold water for a certain period of time, then taking it out, rinsing it clean, controlling the water, cutting it into shredded vegetables, and soaking it with seasonings to make various flavors of side dishes such as fragrant, sweet, sour, spicy, etc. It has a special flavor of being tough on the outside and crispy on the inside. Using dried cucumber as a side dish with wine, the taste is crisp and unique