| Type: | Stir-fry |
| Course: | Main Course |
| Region: | Southwest China |
| Place Of Origin: | Yunnan, China |
| Main Ingredient: | Meat (usually pork belly), Erkuai, Spinach, Soy Sauce, Egg |
Da jiu-jia, is a type of Chinese stir-fry that consists of Erkuai cut into thin slices before being fried with pork, egg, soy sauce, and vegetables. Da jiu-jia is commonly paired with a soup but can be eaten alone.[1]
The name da jiu-ja literally translates to 'saving the life of the emperor'[2] due to an old legend regarding Zhu Youlang and his flee from Wu Sangui and the Qing dynasty[3]
According to legend, as Youlang fled south towards Burma, he stopped at the city of Tengchong in Yunnan. Exhausted and starving, Youlang asked a farmhouse owner to make him food. Using erkuai, ham, eggs and vegetables, the owner fed the emperor to which Youlang simply stated "erkuai has saved my life"