The Dish of the Emperor

This is one of those dishes with a legend attached, the sort of thing that seems to make them all the more tasty. According to Chiu Chow legend, an emperor of the Southern Sung Dynasty was passing through the Chiu Chow area more than seven hundred years ago and was entertained with this dish. Of course, it was made with the cured ham of Yunnan and with the sweet, tender leaves of the sweet potato vine. It pleased the emperor, and he is said to have suggested that it be the “national dish” o