5　泡菜魚火鍋　Fish Hotpot with Pickled Vegetables

Paocai(泡菜)means“pickled vegetables，”and paocai yu huoguo(泡菜魚火鍋)means“fish hotpot with pickled vegetable.”

Sichuan local pickles are basic ingredients of hotpot.Traditionally every local family in Sichuan enjoys keeping a large earthen jar or container at home to make family-style pickled vegetables.To produce pickles，place peppercorn and salt in a clean container with boiling water.Add wine，ginger，and hot pepper(cut into small pieces)into the container after the water is cool.Cut turnips，carrots，and cucumbers into small pieces approximately the size of a small finger，and place them in salt water.Some more vegetables and chicken claws may be added.Then cover the container with a tight fitting lid and let the vegetables soak for about two or three days.Pickles are not only a daily dish，but are also presented even at formal banquets.

Hotpot originated in Chongqing and it is known for its peppery and spicy taste.Numerous sidewalk hotpot stalls and exquisite hotpot restaurants have been set up to meet the increasing customer demand.Restaurants offer various kinds of hotpot to suit customers'tastes.

The“Fish Hotpot with Pickled Vegetable”can be traced back to the invention of a kind of hot pot known as Chuanjiang Haozi Fish Hotpot(川江號(hào)子魚火鍋).

A long time ago riverboats had no mechanical gear to navigate along Yangtze River.When a boat went up stream through the narrow stretches of the gorges，trackers sometimes had to wade through rapids or along the shore of the river，pulling the boat with a rope，while boatmen wielded bamboo iron-hooked poles.

One day a boat named“Chuanjiang Hao(川江號(hào))”travelled up stream along Yangtze River.When the boat reached the stretches of the gorges，the boatmen and trackers could not go further due to fatigue and hunger.They instead all laid down on the ground to rest.

The boat captain had a boatman anchor the boat and ordered the cook to prepare meat dishes for the fatigued men.Unfortunately，the cook had nothing to cook on board，so the captain picked up his fishing net and spread it into the river.A moment later，he caught enough fish to fill up several barrels.

The cook cleaned the fish and boiled soup in a wok that contained several seasonings like spicebush oil(山胡椒油)，spices，and pickled ginger and peppers.Then he added the fish and re-boiled the fish soup until it was well cooked.The tired men gathered together，eating the fish and soup from the wok.Meanwhile some other boats passed by，and their passengers and boatmen were also invited to come on board and taste this food.This fish soup was later named Chuanjiang Hao Fish Hotpot after the boat's name.

Fish hotpot with pickled vegetables still remains one of the most popular hotpots，and traditional restaurants are usually full of customers every day wanting to try it.Especially on weekends，customers may have to wait in line outside restaurants before having hotpot.While waiting，customers eat watermelon seeds and drink tea.

Notes: 1)hotpot 火鍋 2)peppercorn 干胡椒 3)turnip 蘿卜 4)carrot 胡蘿卜 5)cucumber 黃瓜 6)approximately 大約 7)banquet 宴會(huì) 8)gear 傳動(dòng)裝置 9)navigate 航行 10)tracker 纖夫 11)wade 蹚 12)rapids 急流 13)wield 揮舞 14)fatique 疲勞 15)barrel 桶 16)wok 鐵鍋