A unique feast known as the "Peacock Banquet" in southwest China's Yunnan Province offers a one-of-a-kind culinary experience that dazzles both the eyes and the taste buds.
The "Peacock Banquet" is a popular culinary tradition in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, where peacocks symbolize good fortune.
The eye-catching culinary spectacle brings together iconic dishes from the region's diverse ethnic groups which are artfully arranged on banana leaves, mimicking the majestic display of a peacock's plumage.
Everything on the table is edible except for the "peacock head", which is just a decorative piece made of foam. Many ingredients and seasonings in the dishes are sourced directly from nature.
Li Zengliang, manager of a restaurant that serves the special dishes introduced how rice becomes yellow.
"There is a type of local wildflower we call the 'rice-dying flower.' It's usually dried and stored, available year-round. After soaking in water, it's used to steam rice. It's completely natural, with no synthetic food pigments," he said.
Even dandelions can be transformed into a delectable dish.
"This dish is made by coating dandelion leaves in flour and deep-frying them to perfection," Li said.
In addition to deep-frying, the feast is prepared using various other cooking methods, including stir-frying, boiling and roasting.
"This is a signature dish of the Jingpo people, called wrapped and roasted beef. Fresh beef, together with local spices, is wrapped in banana leaves, and slow-cooked over charcoal. Once ready, it carries a delicate aroma from the banana leaves," he said.
The "Peacock Banquet" is becoming increasingly popular with tourists from all over the country. Beyond its unique flavors, it offers a deep dive into the region's rich ethnic cultures.
'Peacock Banquet', feast for eyes, taste buds in Yunnan Province
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that the top priority is to make every effort to prevent the conflict from reigniting in the Middle East and maintain the hard-won momentum of the ceasefire. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
During their phone conversation, Dar briefed Wang on Pakistan's mediation efforts to facilitate talks between Iran and the United States, and expressed appreciation for China's efforts to promote peace. He also voiced Pakistan's willingness to maintain close communication and coordination with China to jointly play a constructive role in realizing regional peace.
Reiterating China's principled position, Wang commended Pakistan for facilitating a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran and for hosting the Islamabad talks, where it played a fair and balanced mediating role.
The current ceasefire is fragile, and the regional situation is at a critical turning point, said Wang.
He urged the international community to step up efforts to promote peace and dialogue, and take a clear stand against any action that could undermine the ceasefire or escalate confrontation.
The five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region proposed by China and Pakistan reflects the consensus of the international community on promoting peace and can continue to serve as a direction of efforts toward resolving the issue, said Wang.
China welcomes Pakistan's greater role, and stands ready to work with Pakistan and the rest of the international community to continue making positive contributions to an early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East, said the Chinese minister.
Chinese FM calls for preserving hard-won momentum of ceasefire in Iran
