Lijiang Waxed Pork Ribs Hotpot
One of the must-try when you’re in Lijiang is the Waxed Pork Ribs Hotpot. Basically it’s a normal hotpot but the difference is in the pork ribs used.
A selection of the best ribs is rubbed with the right amount of salt and left for 24 hours, then air-dried in a cool place for about 10 days. The average temperature of 13 ℃ -20 ℃ in Lijiang makes it suitable for making waxed ribs. The ribs are then stewed with a variety of Chinese herbs and vegetables before being served.
Our pot came with a variety of vegetables, bean sprouts, beancurd, noodles, mushrooms, apple slices and tomatoes. We were given a bowl of local fermented beancurd to be mixed with a little of the broth which then becomes the dip for the ribs. Yummy!
We were not aware that this was a local specialty, we just walked into the shop and ate. The lady owner was so nice that she explained to us what the waxed meat is about. She also mentioned that a lot of restaurants sell this but prepared by people who are not locals. Hers is definitely “original” since she is a pure local from Lijiang. Nice lady!