Reality show sinks its teeth into 100 ancient recipes

Since ancient times, Chinese literati have eloquently captured their culinary delights in writing, for food is not only life's paramount necessity but also a profound multisensory pleasure that resonates deeply with their hearts and minds.

In his Ode to the Old Epicure, Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) poet and scholar-official Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo) masterfully outlines the essentials of fine dining: the careful selection of ingredients, the precise control of heat, proper cooking techniques, and the subtle art of seasoning.

A true gastronome, Su vividly describes his preferences — the choicest cut of pork from behind a suckling pig's neck, the largest claws of crabs caught fat before the solar term Frost's Descent (shuang jiang), cherries stewed soft and pan-fried into candied treats, and steamed lamb luxuriously served with almond cream.

Classical Chinese literature is marked by an extraordinary economy of language, and Su's descriptions of these four delicacies, each crafted in just six characters, conjure rich imaginings that have endured across centuries. Inspired minds of later generations have thus sought to re-present these dishes recorded so long ago.

One such attempt appears in the first season of 100 Ancient Recipes, a 25-episode culinary reality show recently streamed on Tencent Video.

Hosted by Taiwan food vlogger Kao Wen-chi, the show is joined by guest celebrity foodies, including British food writer Fuchsia Dunlop, culinary documentary director Chen Xiaoqing, who is known for A Bite of China and Once Upon a Bite, and anthropologist Cao Yu, author of a monograph on the history of the chili pepper in China.

Each 10-minute episode reimagines an ancient dish based on historical records.

In one episode, Kao and gourmet columnist Lin Weihui, who has extensively studied Su's food-related writings and anecdotes, demonstrate the preparation of the lamb-with-almond-cream dish mentioned above.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, lamb was a luxury. Historical records note that Su's acquaintance Han Zongru traded Su's letters — Su was one of the most outstanding calligraphers of his time — for lamb, each letter worth several kilograms of meat.

To prepare the dish, the hosts slice the lamb, add spring onions, ginger, salt, and a little water, cover the bowl with a damp paper towel, and steam.

Drawing from Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) essayist Yuan Mei's 1792 gastronomy manual, Suiyuan Shidan (Recipes from the Garden of Contentment), they make almond cream by grinding almonds with water, straining the mixture, adding glutinous rice flour, and simmering until thickened.

They then add vinegar, soy sauce, huangjiu (Chinese rice wine), and minced ginger to the lamb, steam it further until tender, and finally ladle the almond cream over it. According to an anecdote, Su once remarked that this dish is better eaten with a spoon than with chopsticks.

A key question, however, is the flavor of the almond cream. Kao and Lin point out that while Yuan's recipe calls for sugar, Su's concise, poetic line offers no clue about seasoning. Considering sugar was not widely available in Su's time — and other Qing records document sugar-free versions — the hosts opt to omit it. The result, they find, is a satisfying re-creation.

For those inspired to try it themselves, each episode ends with subtitles listing the ingredients and cooking steps, along with extended discussions on related culinary topics.