It can be made with fresh pork, pork fat, livers, and sometimes chicken, and tends to be as sweet as it is salty, with a rich, dense, emulsified texture. Pork makes the best sausages, and the Chinese love it. There is a saying that their love for pork prevented them from converting to Islam. A pig is one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac calendar. Although most Chinese sausages are mostly made from pure pork, other meats such as beef, chicken, duck or lamb are often added. Pork liver or duck liver are often added to liver sausages. It is generally accepted that the Chinese were already making sausages 2000 years ago. Any reliable information about sausage manufacturing in China dates back to the 5th century and some of the techniques are still used today. As in other countries, there is no universally followed sausage recipe, but each region of the country develops its own variation, even though the name remains the same. The Chinese name for sausages is “Lap Cheong”, which means “winter filled intestine” or “waxed intestine” because “cheong” not only means “intestine”, but also “sausage”. This sausage is normally dried in air or over low heat. Sausage is used as an ingredient in many dishes in parts of southern China, such as Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries. It is used, for example, in fried rice dishes, noodles and other dishes. Chinese sausage formulations are unique, based on a long tradition. Ingredients such as soy sauce and sugar are added to sausages at very high levels. Chinese rice wines, distilled spirits, or even whiskey or sherry are commonly added to sausages. Traditional Chinese recipes, similar to Italian recipes for salamis, have been passed down from generation to generation without much understanding of the underlying processes. They are the result of errors and testing procedures; however, they are modified today to comply with the safety regulations of the China Meat Safety Department. Sausages are consumed all year round, but their consumption is highest in February, during the Chinese New Year. Approximately 6 inches long, Chinese sausage is darker and thinner than Western sausages. The most common variety is made with pork and pork fat, but you'll also find other varieties made with duck liver or even beef. Manufacturers are also starting to offer varieties reduced in fat and sodium; however, in the West, it is currently easier to find standard pork sausages. If you've eaten yang chow fried rice, you've tried Chinese sausages. It is also a common ingredient in sautéed noodles and clay pot dishes. I still remember my first bite of Chinese sausage. It was wrapped in a soft, fluffy bun that had been steamed. I had no idea what the combination of sausage and bread was called (I learned many, many years later that it's called lap cheong bun), but my taste buds didn't care. The melted fat from the sausage fell down my chin and my mother had to wipe my face. It is a term that encompasses a variety of sausages from China, where they were made as early as 300-500 AD. The Cantonese name is lap cheong. Not as well known outside of China, it is a spicy variety from the Sichuan region. Chinese sausage can be smoked and dried, or fresh. Can be fat or lean. The variety made with pork and small cubes of fat is the most common, but the best variety I've tried in my life was made with duck liver. When you go to an Asian grocery store to buy Chinese sausages, know that there are many types. You'll find the short ones, the thick ones, the thin ones, and the color can range from chocolate to a dull red. Shape and color define variety. Thin, dark sausages are probably made with pork or duck liver. The dull red ones with bright white spots are probably made with pork and pork fat. It's not easy to tell just by looking at it, especially when the labels don't include any English translation. It's best to ask the retailer to explain the differences between the sausages on display so you can get exactly what you want. Dried Chinese sausages are sold in vacuum-sealed containers. Check the expiration date first and know that, unopened, sausages do not require refrigeration. Once you open the package and have taken the amount of sausages you need for a plate, wrap the remaining sausages tightly in cling film and store them in the freezer. Better yet, if you have a vacuum sealer, re-seal the remaining sausages. That way they'll last longer. As a filling for a steamed bun like I had my first time trying it out or even just by itself - there are many ways to enjoy Chinese sausage. But perhaps one of the easiest ways to cook it is by cutting them into slices and dropping them into raw rice before putting it into a rice cooker - by then time your rice will be ready so will your sausage! And since they get fattier when heated up your rice will smell amazing! Chinese sausage can also be minced up and included in stir-fry dishes like yang chow fried rice or even added into congee - either mixed up or arranged as a topping! In Burmese language sausage is called kyet u gyaung (chicken sausage) or wet u gyaung (pork sausage). The flavor of Chinese sausage varies depending on what ingredients were used but generally tastes sweet yet savory - something that I've been loving for years! It was first manufactured back in March 1909 by Lithuanian personnel in a Russian-owned factory called Churin Sausage Factory located in Daoli district of Harbin - this isn't too unusual since there are Spanish sausages that are made only with blood (Morcilla Lustre & Morcilla Lustre Malagueña). So if you're looking for something new yet delicious then why not give Chinese sausage a try?
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