Wanluan pork knuckle

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Wanluan Pork Knuckle is a traditional Taiwanese dish from Wanluan, in Pingtung County. It’s a beloved Hakka specialty. Legend says it began during the Japanese era when a noodle stall owner named Lin started selling braised pork knuckle. In 1947, a Fuzhou native named Wang Yi-ti opened a restaurant there and helped popularize the dish. By the 1970s, many pork knuckle shops lined Wanluan’s main street, earning it the name “Wanluan Pork Knuckle Street.” In 2004, the county government marked and decorated the street to celebrate its heritage. The dish gained national attention in 1980 when President Chiang Ching-kuo visited Wanluan. The typical preparation uses the foreleg of the pig: cleaned, hair removed, blanched, then simmered in a broth with many spices and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, including star anise and cinnamon. The result is tender, aromatic meat that defines Wanluan cuisine.