Tastes of the sea

The sour pig's knuckle. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Two plates of imported Australian beef, one with lean meat from the thigh and the other interlaced with fat from the back, are sliced with a proper thickness, rather than those cut paper-thin by machines. They were both smooth and chewy and needed only seconds in the boiling soup.

The surprise came from the complimentary seafood congee, with crab chunks steeped in rice that had stewed for hours until it disintegrated. The generous portion of congee absorbed flavors from the crab, and slid down the throat without any chewing.

The congee seems to go best with the marinated salted fish with pork belly and garlic (priced at 168 yuan), the second course offered by the restaurant and one traditionally enjoyed by local fishermen. It uses wind-dried deep-sea eel and five-streaked pork with simple seasonings, mainly soy sauce and salt, to maintain the taste of major ingredients.

The slightly salty fish is well complemented by the relatively light-tasting fried pork.

When the sour pig's knuckle is served, the sheer volume and shape of the course is a jaw-dropping sight. The shape of the pig's knuckle is retained, with the main thick bone pointing straight up. The meat gleams and is dotted with half-chopped marinated eggs.

"It is very nutritious and has been used by women who have just given birth to help them recover strength," Huang says.

The big knuckles are blanched first and then stewed over a low flame with sweetened vinegar, ginger and sugar for 12 hours. They are then cooled overnight before being boiled for another 12 hours for the broth to thicken and the meat to be seasoned.