lotus root. For the Chinese salted fish, choose a thick, moist and fleshy piece, rather than a chunk that's dry and bony. The minced pork shouldn't be too lean - if there's not enough fat ...

It boasts the tell-tale delicate sweetness of the lotus root but leaves a bland, clean taste, according to aficionados. It takes about 800 kilograms of lotus roots to produce 1,800 bottles.