Moldy amaranth stalks
霉苋菜梗

Formerly the most common food among locals in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, moldy amaranth stalks were "active" in nearly every meal alongside other pickles. They were also favored by local monks and gained the nickname "maigre sea eel" for their deliciousness.

Steamed moldy amaranth stalks [Photo/Offical WeChat account of Ningbo Evening News]

This enticing Shaoxing dish is relatively simple to make. Cut the thick amaranth stalks into pieces of between four and five centimeters, and soak them in clear water until you can see floating white foam. Then you should pickle them with salt in a sealed jar and ferment them for several days.

The pickle can be enjoyed alone, or steam them and add some sesame oil. Voila! You can suck out their jelly-like core and enjoy this lingering soft and waxy delicacy on your taste buds.

Alternatively, you can cook the jarred pickle with other ingredients including tofu, pumpkin, Chinese eddoes, small fish, yellow croakers, eel slices and razor clams.

Steamed moldy amaranth stalks with tofu [Photo/food.china.com.cn]

The aged sauce of moldy amaranth stalks is pretty cherished by the local people. White and as mellow as milk, it has a strong taste and high concentration and can be used to make many more kinds of beloved "stinky food".