The black colored xiancao (also known as mesona) food products are processed from the mint-like herbaceous
plant (scientific name Platostoma
palustre). Although xiancao can be found in the natural environment of
Taiwan, in general, those grown around farmland were mostly transplanted from where
the herb had already been planted.
Hakka people have long known how to make xiancao byproducts. So when
they cut the weeds around the farmland, they will pay attention to where the xiancao
are growing and avoid pulling them out. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival, Hakka
farmers would go to their own fields and collect xiancao that have not yet
blossomed. They then dry it in the sun and put it away to storage, and when
necessary, use it to make xiancao spin-off. During the harvest season, the farm
laborers would put the dried xiancao into a pot and boil it with water to make
xiancao tea. After filtering it, they would let it cool, and then share the tea
with the elders who were cultivating the land, or they would add sweet potato
powder or other starch to transform the drink into solid xiancao jelly, which
is a popular dessert for farmers or a snack for children.
What makes xiancao a local specialty in Hsinchu’s Guanxi Township is the
area’s topography and climate. Because the region is located in the foothills,
the xiancao there grows on the slopes between farm fields. Compared with the farm
fields in the plains, there is more space for planting. Hence, there are more
opportunities for harvesting xiancao in Guanxi. In addition, Guanxi often has
afternoon thunderstorms in the summer, which makes its climate suitable for growing
xiancao because the plant cannot grow in environments that are too dry.
In the beginning, the xiancao was grown by farmers mainly for their own
use. Later, they put additional amount on the market, or they would make it
into xiancao tea, xiancao jelly, or other processed products. Sales of xiancao
products gradually increased. Almost thirty
years ago, Guanxi’s naturally grown xiancao was no longer enough to meet the
demand, so farmers began to grow xiancao through professional cultivation. In
the 1990s, in the wake of the efforts to revive Taiwanese towns and villages and
make each one standout with a unique product or characteristic, under the
"one town, one specialty product" program, Guanxi residents began to
promote xiancao as their specialty product, and many local people began selling
sweet grass jelly desserts to visitors, making it easier for outsiders to taste
xiancao products in Guanxi.
Xiancao Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
Chicken pieces 600 g
Dried xiancao 10 grams
Ginger slices 5 grams
Water 1200cc
Seasonings:
Salt 1.5 teaspoons
Fine sugar 1/2 teaspoon
Rice wine 2 tablespoons
Cooking method:
1. Put the chicken pieces in boiling water and scald to remove blood
water; gently clean the xiancao, trim it to the appropriate length and put it
in the medicine bag to be used.