Pig skin is the skin from a pig. Everyone has seen pigs and eaten pork, but most people don't eat the skin and will spit it out. In fact, pig skin is a meat product with a relatively high protein content. It is considered a raw material, and now only a少数少数 (a small number of) people specifically use it to make a dish. However, when it comes to "Pig Floating Skin" and "Pig Skin Jelly," these are two specialty delicacies, one from the south and one from the north, that many friends are very fond of.
Red Date and Peanut Pig Skin Soup
Red Date and Black Bean Pig Skin Soup
250g pig skin, 8 red dates, 200g black beans, a little coriander, salt, and Shaoxing wine to taste. Wash the black beans and soak them for 1-2 hours. Wash the red dates and remove the pits. Wash the coriander and chop it into small sections. Wash the pig skin, blanch it in boiling water, then use a knife to scrape off the hair and fat, rinse it, and cut it into diamond-shaped pieces. Pour an appropriate amount of water into a clay pot, bring to a boil, add the pig skin, black beans, red dates, and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and simmer for two hours. Add salt and coriander before serving.
Shashen Yuzhu Pig Skin Soup
30g Shashen (Glehnia root), 15g Yuzhu (Polygonatum odoratum), 3g dried tangerine peel, and 250g pig skin. Wash the pig skin, blanch it in boiling water, then use a knife to scrape off the hair and fat from the surface, rinse, and cut into thick strips. Wash the Shashen and Yuzhu. Soak the dried tangerine peel until soft, then scrape off the white pith. Pour an appropriate amount of water into a clay pot, bring to a boil, add all ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce to low heat and simmer for 2 hours. Season with salt to taste.
Pig Skin Ejiao Red Date Soup
100g pig skin, 15g Ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin), 10g red dates, and 20g brown sugar. Wash the pig skin, blanch it in boiling water, then use a knife to scrape off the hair and fat, rinse, and cut into thick strips. Wash the red dates and remove the pits. Crush the Ejiao into a powder. Pour 4 bowls of water into a clay pot, bring to a boil, add the pig skin and red dates and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and simmer until the pig skin is tender. Add the Ejiao powder and brown sugar, simmer slowly over low heat until completely melted, and it is ready to eat.
Modern people who pursue health are afraid of excessive greasiness and high cholesterol, so they tend to avoid pig skin. However, traditional Chinese medicine believes that pig skin has the effects of nourishing yin, replenishing deficiency, nourishing blood, and benefiting qi. Modern research also shows that pig skin contains a large amount of collagen protein, which can be converted into gelatin during cooking. Gelatin has a network-like spatial structure that can bind a lot of water, enhancing cellular physiological metabolism and effectively improving the body's physiological functions and the water storage function of skin tissue cells. This keeps cells moisturized, prevents premature skin wrinkling, and slows down the aging process of the skin. Moreover, the cholesterol content in pig skin is not very high, and consuming it in moderation is beneficial to health.
Pumpkin soup