Dongyang Nanzao [Zhejiang Dongyang Specialty]

What is Dongyang Nanzao? Authentic Zhejiang Dongyang specialty: Dongyang Nanzao

Content summary:Do you want to know what Dongyang Nanzao is? This article is a detailed introduction to the specialty of Dongyang, Zhejiang Province - Dongyang Nanzao. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network after reviewing and collecting relevant information on Dongyang Nanzao. The full text takes about 12 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Dongyang Nanzao and its nutritional value? What are the product characteristics of Dongyang Nanzao? How did the history of Dongyang Nanzao come about? The production method of Dongyang Nanzao, etc

Basic Introduction to Dongyang Nanzao

Nanzao "Eating three jujubes a day makes it difficult to age for a lifetime", this folk saying has been passed down in Yiwu for a long time. Nanzao is a precious product unique to Yiwu. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, it was listed as a tribute, and the first episode of "Famous Chinese Products" recorded that "the best jujube in Jiangnan is the southern jujube from Yiwu, Zhejiang". Fresh jujubes have a sugar content of 10-36% and a vitamin C content that is more than 90-120 times higher than apples, pears, peaches, and more than oranges, lemons, and other fruits. It is one of the traditional famous brand export products in Zhejiang Province. Since its export to ports, Australia, and various parts of Southeast Asia, there has been a shortage of supply

Contains 18 types of amino acids and inorganic salts, luddin, crude protein, refined fat, fructose, glucose, niacin, retinol, triterpenoids, flavonoids, carotenoids, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and other essential elements for the human body. It also contains various vitamins such as vitamin B, vitamin E, and vitamin C, with vitamin C having the highest content, 70 times that of apples and 100 times that of pears. Nourishing the kidneys and liver, strengthening the brain and mind, tonifying the spleen and stomach, promoting blood circulation and strengthening the heart, nourishing the complexion and hair, improving microcirculation and anti-cancer health, moisturizing the heart and lungs, stopping cough, nourishing the five meridians, and treating deficiency and damage

The first episode of China's famous products has a record of "the best jujube in Jiangnan is the southern jujube from Yiwu, Zhejiang". South jujube has a shiny black color, rich and juicy flesh, a sweet and nutritious taste, a large size, solid flesh, sweet and soft texture, and a smooth shaking sound. Its color is shiny and red, with fine and clear skin lines. It is crispy and fragrant when eaten

How did the history of Dongyang Nanzao come about

As a former jujube producing area, many villages in Yiwu have witnessed its glorious moments. The cultivation history of jujube trees in Yiwu has been passed down for over 1000 years, with large-scale jujube orchards established during the Ming Longqing and Wanli periods (1567-1619). Among the 44 townships in the county, 42 produce jujubes. There are multiple varieties of Yiwu jujube, with Yiwu jujube being the best. One of the treasures is the "Shuangren Jujube" originally from Jincun and Fancun areas in Jiangdong District. The fruit is large, thick in flesh, dense in texture, plump in appearance, and symmetrical on both sides. After being made into jujube, it has the best nutrition; The pharmacological performance is also the highest. Fan Village, Jin Village, Gong Datang and other places located on the banks of the Yiwu River used to be covered in jujube forests all over the mountains and fields. Nowadays, Fan Village and Gong Datang, which have gradually become urbanized, are hard to find traces of jujube forests. The time when you could eat jujubes lying on the ground can only be frozen in memory. In the "Yiwu County Annals" published in 1987, it was recorded that "this county is an important jujube producing area in southern China, and Yiwu jujube is well-known both domestically and internationally. It is said that jujube cultivation began more than 1000 years ago." It is understood that the production areas of Yiwu jujube are mainly distributed in more than 100 villages in our city, and the remaining jujube trees are mainly concentrated in some villages in Houzhai, Choucheng, Dachen, Choujiang, Chengxi, and Shangxi

The production method of Dongyang Nanzao

1. Raw material selection: Select fresh jujubes that are eight or nine mature and of uniform size. Pick out insect infested dates and broken dates. 2. Jujube washing: Rinse off the sediment and other substances on the surface of the jujube fruit with clean water

3. Crimson: After boiling the water, add an appropriate amount of cold water. When the water bubbles and makes a squeaking sound, two people cooperate with each other. One person holds a blanching basket on the surface of the water in the pot, and the other person carries 1.5-2 kilograms of dates in the basket. Then quickly roll the dates in the basket in the water and turn them red for a few seconds. Quickly lift the basket, flip it over, and immediately pour it into the valley. After the valley is filled, cover it with straw bags, burlap bags, etc., and keep it warm for 1-2 hours to make the effect more complete

4. Sunbathing: Gently flip and sun the dates that have been scalded red. When sun drying, it is advisable to constantly gently flip the jujube skin until it turns into a floral red color and wrinkles can be formed by hand twisting. Usually exposed to sunlight for half a day, if the exposure time is too short, it will increase the baking time; Exposure to sunlight for too long results in thick skin and coarse patterns. If the sunlight is too strong, it should be turned over in a timely manner, otherwise it will become a yin-yang surface and the skin texture will be coarse and uneven

5. Boiling dates: Wash the sun dried dates with clean water once, then pour them into boiling water to boil. It is best to use an 87cm copper or aluminum pot, which can cook 25 kilograms at a time. After boiling, add cold water and gently turn it over. Continue boiling, then add cold water and turn it over 2-3 times. After 15 minutes, when the jujube body is soft and can be touched by hand, it can be picked up and put into the basket. You can also pick up a few jujubes and put them in cold water. When they sink, they ripen. If they float, they need to be boiled again. Cover the jujube fruits with straw bags, burlap bags, etc. and keep them warm for about 30 minutes to ensure even ripening. Then, expose it to sunlight for a day and put it inside the house to dry. When cooking jujubes, they should be cooked evenly. Uneven or overcooked cooking can affect the quality

6. Baking: also known as upper red chimney. Firstly, brick a jujube pit in the shape of a rectangle, and use bamboo to make a pit frame. Place a fire vat under the pit, and place an iron pot on top of the vat. Lay straw or burlap bags on the pit surface to maintain uniform temperature. When baking, pour the dried jujubes onto the jujube pit and cover the surface with double silk burlap bags to maintain temperature. At the same time, control the heat temperature according to the ripeness of the jujube. It is advisable to use low heat and add excess heat in the middle for 80-90 minutes when roasting relatively young dates; For ripe dates, the initial heat should be high, then gradually decrease, for 30-40 minutes. When baking, turn it evenly 2-3 times. 7. Sun dried jujubes: Spread the dried jujubes evenly on the sun, flip them several times a day, and sun dry them completely. Press the jujube skin firmly with your hands, shake the jujube in your hand, and you can hear the sound of jujube pits. The dried weight of the jujube is about one-third of the weight of fresh jujube, indicating that it has dried and can be stored. If it is raining and cannot be dried or if the processing volume is too large to be dried in time, the method of sun drying and night drying can be used to assist in drying. Half dried jujubes should be gently turned over low heat every 10 minutes until fully dried

8. Grading: Generally divided into five levels according to specification standards. 140 per kilogram for Level 1, 180 per kilogram for Level 2, 220 per kilogram for Level 3, and 360 per kilogram for Level 5. The specifications change slightly every year

9. Packaging: Pack 25 kilograms in cardboard boxes (length, width, and height of 80 × 27 × 29 centimeters). Plastic film food bags or wax coated moisture-proof paper lined inside the box. Some use small packaging of 0.5 kg, 1 kg, and 2.5 kg plastic film food bags, and then pack them in cardboard boxes