In Shaanxi, mentioning Yang Rou Pao Mo is known to everyone, from women and children to adults. The locals consider it a delicacy, and tourists from all over rush to taste it. After the founding of New China, especially since the 1980s, it has been used to entertain international friends and has always been highly praised. As mentioned in "A Bite of China", the most crucial part of eating Pao Mo is breaking the bread. For people in Xi'an, this is not just a process of eating, but also a process of enjoyment.
Yang Rou Pao Mo is the quintessential representative of traditional Shaanxi snacks, with its establishments found all over the urban and rural areas of Shaanxi. For traditional Yang Rou Pao Mo, the ancient city of Xi'an is the top choice. Xi'an's Pao Mo is meticulously prepared with exquisite cooking techniques, precise heat control, resulting in tender meat and rich broth. It features generous portions and a mellow flavor, with bread that is chewy yet smooth, soft and resilient, rich but not greasy, nutritious, and has therapeutic and nourishing effects.
There is a proper way to eat Pao Mo.
There are four traditional ways to cook Yang Rou Pao Mo: Dan Zou, Gan Ba, Kou Tang, and Shui Wei Cheng. "Dan Zou" means the bread and soup are served separately. You break the bread (cake) into the soup to eat, and then drink a bowl of fresh broth afterward, which is called "ge shi ge wei" (each has its own flavor), similar to another famous Xi'an dish, Shui Pen Yang Rou. "Gan Ba", also called Gan Pao, is cooked until the bowl has no visible soup, and a chopstick can stand upright in it. Another type is "Kou Tang", where only a mouthful of soup is left after eating the bread. "Shui Wei Cheng", as the name implies, means a wide soup, like a city surrounded by a wide river. After breaking the bread, placing a chopstick on the bowl signals the waiter for "Gan Ba". No chopstick signal is needed for "Kou Tang" and "Shui Wei Cheng" because the size of the broken bread corresponds to the cooking method. The principle is that a wider soup means larger bread pieces, and vice versa. An experienced chef will know how much soup to add by looking at the size of the broken bread.
The way of breaking the bread for Pao Mo is also particular. The bread used is a special type called Tuo Tuo Mo, weighing about 100 grams each. After breaking the bread, you ask the waiter to bring it to the head chef, who then adds it to a lamb broth and cooks it quickly over high heat. Ingredients such as lamb, vermicelli, chopped green onions, garlic sprouts, coriander, wood ear mushrooms, daylilies, and dried tofu are added, and it is then ready to be served. A large bowl of Pao Mo that you have broken yourself, with its翠绿的 green onions, garlic sprouts, and coriander, the reddish-brown lamb, the yellow daylilies, contrasting with the white and crystal-like vermicelli and the black wood ear mushrooms, is fragrant and whets the appetite. It should be noted that when served, the Pao Mo should be at the bottom, with the vermicelli forming a net-like cover, garnished with green onions and coriander, and the lamb arranged in a fish shape on top.
There is also a proper way to eat Pao Mo. When eating, hold a spoon in your left hand and chopsticks in your right. After the Pao Mo is served, sprinkle chopped coriander and chili sauce on top. Do not stir it. Eat it bit by bit from the side. The key is to "gnaw" from one side to preserve the freshness. The use of sweet pickled garlic is optional. After the meal, drink a small bowl of broth made from the original stock to cleanse the palate.
Pao Mo is delicious but not for frequent consumption.
Yang Rou Pao Mo has drawbacks such as high calories, high fat content, strong flavor, and being difficult to digest. Therefore, it is not suitable for everyone, such as patients with gout, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and obese individuals. Even healthy people should not eat it frequently. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and patients with other diseases besides those mentioned above should also eat it in moderation.
During the hot summer, it is not advisable to eat high-calorie and greasy foods like Yang Rou Pao Mo. In spring and autumn, the human digestive system is susceptible to bacterial or viral infections, so it is recommended to eat less of Pao Mo, which is hard to digest and can加重 the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. In winter, you can eat more Yang Rou Pao Mo, especially for those who often participate in outdoor activities, to increase the body's energy to resist the severe cold.
Homemade Yang Rou Pao Mo.
Ingredients: 1000g lamb hind leg, 30g wood ear mushrooms, 50g Longkou vermicelli, 800g flour.
Seasonings: 5g star anise, 20g salt, 5g MSG, 25g ginger, 20g green onion, 20g rice wine, 50g white radish, 50g carrot, 3g bay leaf, 20g garlic sprouts, 30g coriander, 4g sesame oil.
Method: First, debone the lamb hind leg. Bring a large pot of water (2500g) to a boil over high heat. Add the deboned lamb, lamb bones, and lamb skin and blanch for about 3 minutes, then remove. Place the blanched lamb, bones, and skin back into the pot with 2500g of fresh water. Add all the seasonings and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 2.5 hours. Remove the lamb, let it cool, and then slice it into 3cm long and 0.5cm thick strips. Keep the stock ready. Mix 800g of flour with 400g of water to form a dough. Roll it out into a 0.5cm thick pancake and cook it in an electric griddle until done, then cut it into 0.5cm small cubes. Wash and chop the garlic sprouts and coriander. Soak the Longkou vermicelli in cold water for 30 minutes, then cut it into 20cm long pieces. Heat a pot over medium heat, add the cooked lamb stock, then add the bread cubes, wood ear mushrooms, garlic sprouts, coriander, vermicelli, and lamb. Bring to a boil and cook for another 30 seconds before adding the MSG. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with sesame oil before serving.