Duosheng Food of Dai Ethnic Minority
Introduction to Duosheng
Duosheng (剁生) is a culinary tradition practiced by the Yi (彝), Dai (傣), Bai (白), and other ethnic groups in Southwest China. Duosheng is a festive food made from raw meat. The preparation method involves finely chopping pork or beef, mixing it with scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili, and serving it raw. Duosheng is characterized by its tenderness and freshness. The Dai people in Xishuangbanna (西双版纳) have developed their unique methods of food processing through long-term production and life practices. This article primarily introduces their four processing techniques: chopping, pickling, pounding, and wrapping.
Chopping Technique
Chopping (剁) is a unique method employed by the Dai people to process food. Duosheng is a delicacy used to entertain important guests during festivals. On celebratory occasions such as the Dai New Year (傣历新年), Opening Day (开门节), and Closing Day (关门节), as the sun sets, the sounds of chopping resonate from the Dai villages, reminiscent of “large beads falling on a jade plate” (大珠小珠落玉盘). Young Dai men compete to see who can make the tastiest and finest Duosheng. In the Dai villages of Xishuangbanna, if a young man’s Duosheng isn’t delicious enough or fine as mud, the young Dai girls will not be impressed.
- Chinese Name: 剁生 (Duosheng)
- Contains Preservatives: No
- Dai Language: “紧刹” (Jinsha)
- Characteristics: Tenderness
Dietary Customs Overview
Duosheng is an ancient raw food tradition retained by minorities such as the Yi, Dai, Bai, and Blang (布朗). Authentic Duosheng involves chopping various meats and consuming them raw with seasonings. It is said that the original ingredient for Duosheng was venison, which later evolved to include beef, pork, poultry, and fish. Fresh sika deer meat is first sliced, then finely chopped, and mixed with finely chopped scallions, garlic, coriander, pepper, chili powder, and salt. A small amount of lemon juice is added and mixed thoroughly. The pig skin is then cleaned and roasted over charcoal until it becomes milky white with a slight translucence, after which it is sliced thinly and combined with the deer meat, making it ready to eat.
Origin of Duosheng
According to folklore, a long time ago, in a place called Mengxin (勐新), there lived a hunter who was very filial to his elderly mother. The hunter was strong and young but had no wife or children, only a very old mother. He hunted every day, and their home was filled with game meat and bird meat. However, the old mother could not chew the tough game meat or the tender bird meat and often had to fill her stomach with soft, ripe wild fruits. The hunter felt deeply saddened by this and thought of ways to allow his mother to enjoy delicious meat dishes.
Initially, he would pound cooked meat with stones for her; later, he selected a piece of lean game meat, minced it, and mixed it with fragrant wild vegetable shreds to make a meat paste, which he served to his mother. The elderly woman tasted it and praised it highly, relishing this dish called Duosheng. The hunter was overjoyed and made minced lean game meat for his mother every day. From then on, Duosheng became a delicacy for honoring elderly parents without teeth in Xishuangbanna.
After Duosheng became a common dish in households, families with elderly members began to cook Duosheng in eggshells as a way to honor the elderly. This version of Duosheng is called “紧刹旺” (Jinsha Wang) in Dai, and its cooking method is referred to as “佛” (Fo). It is said to have an exceptionally delicious flavor. In Xishuangbanna, a saying goes, “并不夺窝，摩不夺佛” (It means that plain roasting is inferior to flavored roasting, and wrapping is not as good as simmering Duosheng). This reflects the high praise for Duosheng cooked in eggshells.
Development of Duosheng
It is said that the earliest ingredient for Duosheng was venison, which gradually evolved to include meat from wild herbivores, birds, and domesticated animals. Currently, ordinary households primarily use high-quality beef, pork, chicken, and fresh fish for making Duosheng. The Dai people refer to Duosheng made with beef and venison as “撒撇” (Sapie).
Originally, Duosheng was made purely from raw meat, but over time, people gradually changed customs to incorporate cooked meat in its preparation. The selection of ingredients for Duosheng is very particular, and its processing is extremely refined, with a rich variety of seasonings, resulting in a delightful flavor.
