Jinhu Traditional Meat Soup Introduction
Lin Jiao, known affectionately as "A-Jiao Grandma," was born in 1951. When her son was in the fourth grade, she and her husband set up a stall selling pan-fried buns to supplement their household income. They later switched to selling meat soup, rice dumplings, and milkfish soup, eventually gaining recognition for their traditional meat soup, which became a signature dish in the JInhu area. "A-Jiao Grandma"'s meat soup is made in two parts: the pork and the soup. For the pork, it is sliced, mixed with seasoning and fish paste, then boiled in pieces when the water is boiling and cooled for later use. The soup is made by adding shredded bamboo shoots, seasoning, rock sugar, dried fish, and minced garlic to boiling water, finishing with egg drop. If bamboo shoots are not available, Shandong cabbage is used as a substitute. When customers order, the reserved pork is briefly heated in the soup pot, then served in a bowl with vinegar added. The noodle dish is made by placing the meat soup over blanched fried noodles. In addition to the meat soup, "A-Jiao Grandma" also sells rice dumplings and milkfish soup. The filling for the rice dumplings includes pork, green onions, and glutinous rice, all wrapped in bamboo leaves. The milkfish is locally sourced, and A-Jiao Grandma personally debones the fish, so her milkfish soup is bone-free.
