Jiangqiao's famous sliced boiled lamb is a must-try during the traditional sanfu period. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]
Dongming Lamb Restaurant in Jiangqiao town, Jiading district, Shanghai, is drawing crowds as the traditional sanfu (hottest days of summer) period begins, when many Chinese people enjoy eating lamb.
Customers lined up early to buy its signature sliced boiled lamb. Many said that eating lamb during sanfu has long been a family tradition.
The restaurant is bustling with dine-in patrons, including visitors who came from downtown Shanghai after hearing its reputation. To many long-time locals, a typical meal includes sliced lamb, fried dough sticks, and warm yellow rice wine.
The restaurant now sells about 150 kilograms of sliced boiled lamb per day during the season, double its usual sales.
The popularity stems from Jiangqiao's traditional lamb-making technique, which is recognized as Shanghai municipal intangible cultural heritage. Rather than relying on strong seasonings, the lamb is slowly braised in a decades-old broth recipe, yielding a tender texture and rich flavor without the typical gamey taste.
According to Zhu Dongming, a district-level inheritor of the traditional craft, the restaurant carefully selects sheep between one and three years old and then simmers the meat for several hours in its signature broth.