蜜汁山药 Honey-Glazed Yam (Mizhi Shanyao)

[Ho Kwok Leung]

蜜汁山药
蜜汁，是高档甜菜烹调法，因为要用蜂蜜配于调味，色红亮、质绵软，是山东菜的另一特色，多用于配套高级筵席。但制作并不难。
食材
山药500克，
调料
白糖200克，
芝麻油30克，
蜂蜜50克，
桂花酱10克，
花生油1000克（耗60克）。
烹饪方法
1.
准备工作：将山药洗净，放蒸屉蒸透后取出，削去皮，切成滚刀长片。
2.
烹调：净勺放中火上，倒入花生油，烧至七成热时，放入山药，炸至3~5分钟，捞出后，将油倒入油筒。留底油烧热放白糖50克，炒糖成鸡血红色，加入开水200克，蜂蜜、白糖烧沸，加桂花酱，用漏勺捞出渣子，再放微火上，将汁㸆浓（约5分钟），倒入山药，颠翻几下，使蜜汁裹满山药，并盛汤盘中，多余蜜汁全部倒入盘内。


**Honey-Glazed Yam (Mizhi Shanyao)**

Honey-glazed dishes, a hallmark of Shandong cuisine, are premium sweet preparations featuring honey-infused sauces that yield a glossy red hue and tender texture. Though often served in high-end banquets, this dish is surprisingly simple to make.

**Ingredients**
- Yam: 500g

**Seasonings**
- Sugar: 200g
- Sesame oil: 30g
- Honey: 50g
- Osmanthus jam: 10g
- Peanut oil: 1000g (60g used)

**Cooking Method**
1. **Preparation:**
- Wash the yam thoroughly. Steam until fully tender, then peel and slice into oblong pieces using a rolling-cut technique.

2. **Cooking:**
- Heat peanut oil in a wok over medium heat. When the oil reaches 70% heat (around 210°C), fry the yam slices for 3–5 minutes until golden. Remove and drain excess oil.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok. Add 50g of sugar and caramelize over medium heat until it turns a deep reddish-brown ("chicken blood red").
- Carefully pour in 200g of boiling water, followed by honey, remaining sugar, and osmanthus jam. Bring to a boil, then strain to remove any impurities.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes until thickened. Add the fried yam slices and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Transfer to a serving plate and pour any remaining glaze over the yam. Drizzle with sesame oil.

**Features**
This dish showcases tender yam slices enveloped in a glossy, aromatic honey-osmanthus glaze, balancing natural sweetness with floral notes—a luxurious yet approachable Shandong delicacy.