01x06 - Preserved Radish

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These fine grains and intricate wrinkles

are the footprints of time.

Preserved for ten years,

completely transformed
from its original form.

The most delicate flavors
wrapped inside a humble facade.

CHAOSHAN

Although winter has begun,

it is still warm and sunny
in the Chaoshan region.

There is a kind of food here

which seems to have surpassed
the standard of everyday delicacy...

to become an heirloom treasure.

This clay jar in Zuping Chen's hands
has been sealed and preserved for years

and is the most precious treasure
in his house.

Its skin is dry and wrinkly
after being marinated for over 20 years.

But when you slowly tear it apart,
you can feel the soft tenderness.

Take a gentle bite.
It tastes soft and velvety.

Preserved radish
is a favorite delight of Chaoshan locals.

It goes perfectly
with a bowl of regular plain congee.

The best time for making preserved radish
is around winter solstice.

Xinheng Town is located in between
the plains and mountain areas

where the soil is loose,

especially suitable
for growing the radish.

Preserved radish
is made from this ingredient.

Xinheng produces nearly


They are rarely cooked fresh

and are mostly used
in making preserved radish.

Regular radishes contain roughly


while Xinheng Town radishes
can contain up to 90 percent.

To create preserved radish,

water content must be decreased
to ten percent or even less.

Salt can accelerate the dehydration.

One hundred kilograms of radish
requires three kilograms of sea salt.

As salt seeps into the radish,
water content is released from cells,

slowly shrinking dry.

After 24 hours, the radish water content
decreases to 60 percent.

Salted radishes are spread out
on straw for sun drying.

This is the most traditional method.

During winter in Chaoshan,

the temperature stays
at roughly 15 degrees Celsius.

Constant sun-drying
takes away more of the water content.

The dry straw keeps it airy

and also protects it from the ground's
night-time water vapor.

Water content continues to evaporate.

Sulfides contained in the radishes
gradually decompose due to the salt,

while the cell fibers continue to oxidize,

causing the radishes to start browning.

FIVE DAYS LATER

After continued sun-drying for a week,

the fresh and succulent radish
has disappeared,

becoming dry in appearance,
yet tasting crunchy, salty, and mellow.

Every year during harvest season,

Zuping Chen's wife
makes her signature dish:

eggs crispy on the outside,
soft on the inside,

with salty and crunchy preserved radish.

You can never get enough
of this preserved radish omelet.

PRESERVED RADISH OMELET

One-week-sun-dried preserved radish

is one of the main
everyday cooking ingredients.

It is mild and moderate,
and can add flavor to various dishes.

PRESERVED RADISH WITH STIR-FRIED HU TIEU

Zuping Chen is still not satisfied.

He puts some of the preserved radish
into another clay jar

and seals it with bamboo leaves
for further fermentation.

It can be preserved for decades.

Chaoshan locals have been making
preserved radish for over 1,000 years.

With the recent rise of commercial trade,

preserved radish has spread
to various places, even overseas.

Many people make a living off of it.

SHANTOU CITY, GUANGDONG PROVINCE

Nowadays, a lot of the work
has been automated by machines,

and removing water content
remains the most critical step.

Cell walls break down faster
due to continuous crushing,

making it easier for salt to seep inside
and the water to be released more quickly.

In less than a day,

the weight of a fresh radish
is reduced by 70 percent.

Crushed radishes still require sun-drying,

but nets are used instead of straw.

They are kept one meter from the ground.

Cutting the radish into thin strips
increases the surface area,

which facilitates sun-drying and airing.

Unlike traditional sun-drying methods,

this kind of dried radish
naturally shrivels up faster.

Tissue cells bind together tighter
and become much crunchier.

Within only four days, fresh radish
is transformed into preserved radish.

Seven kilos of radishes produce
only one kilo of preserved radish.

With the help of new production skills,

factories here can produce


The new type of preserved radish
is crunchier in texture,

contains less salt,
and has an extra hint of sweetness.

It adds a distinct flavor to dishes.

STIR-FRIED SQUID WITH PRESERVED RADISH

STIR-FRIED HAIRTAIL WITH PRESERVED RADISH

Chaozhou cuisine has a long history,

and many dishes can be traced back
to the Han dynasty.

Xiangrong Peng studied Chaozhou cuisine
for nearly 20 years.

Aside from studying
traditional Chaozhou cuisine,

he hopes to improve classic dishes
and create unique flavors.

Fried spare ribs with preserved radish.

Marinated spare ribs
with aged preserved radish

fried in minced garlic oil
until well done.

Compared to freshly made preserved radish,
decade-old preserved radish

has turned from yellow-brown to black
due to the extended oxidization period.

Its texture is soft and tender,
and it's easy to digest.

Due to the salt,

it still oozes a bit of liquid
even after it is preserved.

Preserved radish aged for many years
has oily and shiny excess moisture.

This aged preserved radish oil
is Xiangrong Peng's secret ingredient.

By stir-frying on high heat,

aromatic substances emanate quickly,

adding aroma and flavor to dishes.

FRIED SPARE RIB WITH PRESERVED RADISH

Cooking with aged preserved radish
is slightly different.

After its long fermentation period,
it acquires a tang of sourness.

Combined with tender and juicy spare rib,
they bring out the best in each other.

PRESERVED RADISH CONGEE

No matter if it's cooked with congee
or added into dishes,

people still continue to experiment with
innovative ways of using preserved radish.

The creation of each new flavor

is a dialogue
between ingredients and time.

You can get a mouthful of Chaoshan flavors
with just a piece of preserved radish.

CHAOSHAN