Also Shuǐjīng yáoròu, Yáoròu, Zhenjiang pork terrine
Salted pork hock, simmered, pressed and set in its own clear jelly, then sliced cold and eaten with shredded ginger and Zhenjiang black vinegar.
What makes it crystal pork terrine
Pork hock, boned and salted, so it stays rosy.
Simmered gently, pressed in a dish and set in its own jelly, which should be clear.
Served cold, with shredded ginger and Zhenjiang vinegar.
Where it comes from
It comes from Zhenjiang, just across the Yangtze from Yangzhou, where it's eaten in the morning with noodles and tea. The meat is cured with salt — traditionally with a little saltpetre, which keeps it pink — and one story says it began when a cook reached for saltpetre instead of salt.
Zhenjiang is also the home of the black vinegar it's dipped in, and the two are counted among the city's famous things.