AhLing Pork Luncheon Meat - The Origin of Mala Xiang Guo
AhLing Pork Luncheon Meat - The Origin of Mala Xiang Guo
Since early 2018, the undying 'Mala' hype in Singapore had reached the zenith of 'Mala-ception'. With many businesses jumping on the bandwagon to satisfy the craving for the ever-fiery punch on the tastebuds, Mala Xiang Guo food stalls can now be found at almost all locations in Singapore. From the neighbourhood kopi-tiams to crowded malls located in the heartlands and dedicated restaurants serving authentic Chinese cuisines from China, you can never really escape from this delicious wonderment.
If you are still eating Yong Tau Foo and have yet to taste Mala Xiang Guo, you're really missing out! Hence, AhLing is here today to share some wisdom about the origin of ever-delectable but yet, fiery tasting Mala Xiang Guo to get your mouth watered for your meals ahead!
Without further ado, let's begin!
WHAT IS MALA XIANG GUO?
In short, Mala Xiang Guo is a stir-fry of an abundance of ingredients which individuals could handpick or select from the respective food stalls or restaurants. The selected ingredients are skilfully stir-fried with the mouth-watering concoction of spice, the 'Mala' sauce. The depth of the blend of exotic spices creates highlight reel on your tastebuds with a spicy twang from the dried chilli and numbing sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns.
Moreover, the name 'Mala Xiang Guo' (麻辣香锅) is composed of the Chinese characters which could be broken down as such; with 'Má Là' (麻辣) purporting the 'spicy' and 'numbing' flavours, 'Xiang' (香) meaning 'aromatic' and 'Guo' (锅) as 'pot' in Chinese.
Speaking of Szechuan and 'Pot'...
ORIGIN OF MALA XIANG GUO
It had been indicated that Mala actually originated from the Yangtze River near Sichuan. Dating back to ancient times, boating was a big industry, and many people made a living by towing boats. Working under the damp and foggy weather made boat trackers feel very sick. When they were hungry, they would cook up some herbs in a pot while putting Sichuan pepper, chilli and ginger to warm themselves up. As it was told that the 'mala' concoction made using Sichuan peppers and chilli have the ability to eliminate dampness in one's body.
Despite the fact that the 'Mala' concoction had said to originate from Sichuan, the origin of Mala Xiang Guo remains a great mystery. Conventional wisdom and internet hearsay suggest that Mala Xiang Guo came from Sichuan with Chongqing as its culinary capital. While many individuals had also said that the style of the dish could be evolved from Northern-eastern China's 'Luan Dun' (North-Eastern Hot Pot Stew) and 'Gan Guo' (Dry Hot Pot).
Putting aside its murky origin story or the mystery person who invented it, all foodies would have agreed that Mala Xiang Guo is probably one of the greatest (if not, the greatest!) marriage of flavours and evolution of Chinese dishes.
Over and above, now let's talk about the highlight of every Mala Xiang Guo other than the twangy and numbing 'Mala' sauce that packs a punch (based on your preferred spice level). Yes, you know it! It appears in almost every Mala Xiang Guo and definitely a MUST PICK for a good mala session with your mates! THE LUNCHEON MEAT!
MUST PICK INGREDIENT - LUNCHEON MEAT
No one can EVER resist picking this savoury goodness. The luncheon meat is certainly an ingredient not to be missed when attempting to create your own Mala Xiang Guo. The soft textured, wholesome meaty and savoury mouthfeel of the luncheon meat would undoubtedly make an excellent complement to the fiery tasting mala sauce. Best of all, the luscious and delectable flavours of the luncheon meat can help to enliven the rest of the ingredients added to the patter of spicy wonderment.
Looking for the best luncheon meat to add into your spicy mix? TRY AHLING'S LUNCHEON MEAT TODAY!
Why Choose AhLing Luncheon Meat?
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A local brand made for the delicate local tastebuds, AhLing offers premium luncheon meat made with the fineness ingredients that are bound to surprise you with a taste of nostalgia. Add in slices of delectable AhLing luncheon meat into your Mala Xiang Guo today and let its amazing taste whet the palate of yours!
