As a vegetarian, one of my favorite Chinese dishes is 地三鲜 (dì sān xiān). Not for its elegant name, but for its comfort taste.

Whenever I miss China I enter the kitchen to cook myself 地三鲜. In couple of minutes, one pan and three vegetables, my house is filled with Chinese smells and tastes. As the dish name implies: it consists of only three (三sān) delicacies (鲜 xiān) from the ground (地 dì).

• 地三鲜算是我最爱的素菜之一。

Dì sān xiān suànshì wǒ zuì ài de sùcài zhī yī.

Di San Xian is one of my most favorite vegetarian dishes.

地三鲜is a classical dish from north eastern Chinese cuisine. While travelling in the northern provinces of China, I ate this dish quite a lot. Chinese meals are shared: each diner has its own bowl and chopsticks, but the dishes are served for the all table. Everyone is enjoying the selection of dishes served, and I’ve noticed that even the meat-eaters savor this dish. The 地三鲜 plate is always empty at the end of the meal.

• 地三鲜是一道东北传统名菜。

Dì sān xiān shì yīdào dōngběi chuántǒng míng cài.

Di San Xian is a traditional famous dish of northeast China.

• 三个非常普通的食材做成无比的佳肴。

Sān gè fēicháng pǔtōng de shícái zuò chéng wúbǐ de jiāyáo.

Three very common ingredients make an incomparable delicacy.

地三鲜 is a simple delicious dish, needed only three vegetables that can be easily found in any Chinese farmers’ market:

茄子 (qiézi) = eggplant

土豆 (tǔdòu) = potato

青椒 (qīngjiāo) = green pepper

• 制作材料是三种地里新鲜的食材：茄子、土豆和青椒。

Zhìzuò cáiliào shì sān zhòng dì lǐ xīnxiān de shícái: qiézi, tǔdòu hé qīngjiāo.

The cooking materials are three fresh ingredients from the ground: eggplant, potato,

and green pepper.

You don’t need to be a chef to cook this dish. You only need the right vegetables and the right tool: one large pan. First, chop the vegetables, and then heat oil in the pan. Fry the ingredients one by one: the eggplant until it soft, the potato until golden, and the green pepper for a short while. After frying, remove the vegetables to a large plate. Stir fry minced garlic and ginger and add the already fried vegetables. Some add cornstarch to make the dish more crispy. While mixing, add salt and soy sauce. Serve it with a bowl of white steamed rice.

• 地三鲜是个很下饭的菜。

Dì sān xiān shìgè hěn xiàfàn de cài.

Di San Xian is a dish that goes well with rice.

 

If my post wasn’t enough to make you droll, watch this appetizing video recipe:

Text vocabulary

菜 cài = dish

素菜 sùcài = vegetable dish

名菜 míngcài = famous dish, specialty dish

道 dào = a measure word for dishes, for courses in a meal

食材 shícái =  ingredients

佳肴 jiāyáo = delicacy

新鲜 xīnxiān = fresh

下饭 xiàfàn = to go well with rice

 

好好学习天天向上

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