It is said that Su Dongpo came to Aicheng at the time of collecting wind and saved a child from heatstroke. The parents bought two kilograms of pork and returned with straw to inquire about his taste.
相传苏东坡于采风之时来到艾城,救了一个中暑的儿童。父母便买了猪肉两斤,用稻草拎回来,询问他的口味。
It happened that Su Dongpo was writing poems and saying, "Hehe, grass, pearls, heartfelt fragrance..."
恰逢苏东坡在作诗填词,口中念着:“禾、草、珍珠、透心香……”
After listening, the farmer thought he was telling him to put the meat and straw aside and cook them thoroughly.
农夫听后,以为是叮嘱他将肉和稻草搁置一起煮,并煮透。
At the time of the meal, Dongpo was surprised to see that the meat was a whole piece and not cut. Originally, what the farmer saw and heard in the morning was "cook the grass thoroughly and fragrantly".
吃饭之时,东坡见肉为一整块,并未切开,感到诧异。原来,农夫早上所见所闻为“和草整煮透心香”。
He thought that he liked cooking like this, so he made a dish mixed with straw aroma, unexpectedly, by mistake. Later generations called this dish "Dongpo meat".
以为他喜欢如此烹饪,便为之,没想到,误打误撞,做出了一道掺杂着稻草香气的菜肴。后人便把这道菜叫做“东坡肉”。
关于东坡肉的另一传说:
据传苏东坡在杭州做官时,组织民工在西湖筑了一道堤,为老百姓做了一件好事。为了感谢苏东坡,那年过春节,城里男女老少抬猪担酒来给他拜年。
盛情难却,苏东坡便收下了猪肉。后来,他叫人将猪肉切成方块,烧得红酥酥的,然后按民工的花名册,挨家挨户把肉分送给他们过年。老百姓看到苏东坡不忘民工,越发爱戴他,把他送来的肉叫“东坡肉”。吃起东坡肉来更觉味道鲜美。
那时杭州有家大菜馆,菜馆老板见人们夸说东坡肉好,就和厨师商量,也把肉切成方块,烧得红酥酥的,挂出“东坡肉”的牌子。
牌子一挂出来,那家菜馆的生意就兴隆极了,从早到晚,顾客不断。每天杀十头大肥猪都不够卖。别的菜馆看得眼红,也都学着做了起来。一时间,大小菜馆家家上市东坡肉。
再说苏东坡为人正直,不畏权贵,朝廷中的一班奸臣对他恨得咬牙切齿,听说他受到杭州老百姓爱戴,心里更不舒服。他们当中有个御史,乔装打扮到杭州,存心来找苏东坡的岔子。御史到了杭州,在一家饭馆吃饭。堂倌递上菜单请他点菜。
他接过来一看,头一样菜就是“东坡肉”。于是他皱起眉头想了想,不觉高兴得拍着桌子大叫:“我就要点这个菜。”他吃过东坡肉,觉得味道真是不错,向堂倌一打听,知道东坡肉家家菜馆都有。于是,就把杭州所有菜馆的菜单,统统收集来,之后,便兴冲冲地回京去了。
御史回到京城,马上就去见皇帝,说:“皇上呀,苏东坡在杭州贪赃枉法,坏事做绝,老百姓恨不得要吃他的肉!”皇帝问:“你怎么知道?可有什么证据?”
御史就把那一大沓油腻腻的菜单呈了上去。皇帝本来就是个糊涂蛋,他一看菜单,也不分青红皂白,立刻传下一道圣旨,将苏东坡革掉官职,发配到海南去。
苏东坡革职充军之后,杭州的老百姓忘不了他的好处,仍像过去一样赞扬他,把他疏浚西湖筑的堤称为“苏堤”,还把东坡肉公推为杭州第一道名菜。