Luzhu Huoshao
|
Luzhu Huoshao
|
Luzhu Huoshao (Simplified Chinese: 卤煮火烧; Traditional Chinese: 滷煮火燒; Pinyin: Lǔ zhǔ huǒ shāo; often just luzhu / 卤煮) is a robust old-Beijing street dish. Pork intestines, lung, pork belly and fried tofu are simmered for hours in a dark soy broth seasoned with warm spices; to serve, the cook cuts pieces from the pot, adds wedges of huoshao wheat bread that soak up the broth, and finishes the bowl with garlic, vinegar, chili oil, fermented bean curd sauce and coriander. The dish is loved for deep savory flavor and chewy textures and avoided by some for the strong character of offal. A widely told story links it to a Qing palace dish called su zao rou (苏造肉) created for the Qianlong Emperor, with commoners later replacing costly pork belly with cheap offal; this lineage is traditional lore rather than documented fact. It belongs with other famously polarizing Beijing snacks such as Douzhi and Jiaoquan.[1]
Characteristics
Brown, steaming bowl; soft yet chewy intestines and spongy lung; bread that turns tender in the broth; garlicky, vinegary, spiced finish.
Ingredients (overview)
Pork large intestine, lung, belly; fried tofu; huoshao flatbread; soy-based spiced broth; garlic paste, vinegar, chili oil, chive-flower or fermented tofu sauce. Overview only.
History and culture
Beijing writers describe it as a working-class treat that let poorer diners taste rich, palace-style braised flavors; it remains a staple of old-Beijing eateries near Nanheng Street and elsewhere. English guides call it "Beijing pork offal stew" or "luzhu." See also Lou Mei for the broader Chinese master-stock braising family.[1]
Serving and variations
One big bowl, bread and offal together, often with a side of pickles or a bottle of beer. See Douzhi, Jiaoquan, Lou Mei and Beijing Food.