Di San Xian (Three Earthly Treasures) is a classic home-style dish from Northeast China, originating from the ancient Chinese custom of tasting three fresh foods at the Beginning of Summer. Potatoes, eggplants, and green bell peppers are the three most common seasonal vegetables on the land of the Northeast. During a bountiful harvest, farmers will use these three ingredients to prepare this dish of Di San Xian to enjoy their fresh flavors, which is also the origin of the dish's name. The traditional preparation involves cutting the potatoes, eggplants, and green bell peppers into irregular blocks and briefly frying them in oil. Then, seasonings such as minced garlic, minced scallions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and salt are mixed and stir-fried with the three fresh ingredients. Just before taking it out of the wok, a thin slurry of potato starch is added to thicken the sauce, and then the dish is transferred to a plate. The dish features a shiny and oily appearance, a savory and fresh flavor, and a texture that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It is quite popular in all regions across China.
