Grandma had prepared the traditional cuisine of Jiameng, commonly called the "Eight Great Bowls."
Knife-tip Meatballs. A combination of lean and fatty meat that's minced together with tofu and a variety of flavorings before being shaped in the palm of the hand into little triangles, which are thicker at one end than the other. The triangles are then laid out in a ring following the inside contour of a bowl, the thinner ends facing inward. Then, the center of the bowl is filled with layers of vegetables, such as dried lily petals, black fungus, and carrots, before it's put in the steamer.
Dragon's eye. Pork belly sliced thickly and spread with pre-cooked red bean paste before being rolled into meat rolls. Crushed brown sugar is scattered in a bowl, and into this bowl, the meat rolls are placed in three rows. Then, cooked glutinous rice is ladled onto the meat rolls.
The eight great bowls referred to eight different types of steamed food.
Savory and sweet.
