Lv Family Porridge

Lv Family Porridge

　　Lv Family Porridge

　　Lv Family Porridge is one of the famous local delicacies of Yuncheng. Also called "Hutu" (meaning "muddled porridge"), it has a history of over 2,000 years. Legend has it that it was invented by Empress Lü, the wife of Emperor Gaozu of Han, and has been passed down through generations of the Lü family to this day.

　　The specific method of preparation is as follows: grind millet and soybeans into a fine powder, mix them with water in a certain proportion to form a paste, heat an iron pot until it is red-hot, then pour a small amount of the paste into the pot to form a crust, after which a larger quantity of the paste is added. Once it boils, it becomes porridge. This porridge is characterized by the fragrance of rice, a strong aroma of soybeans, and a slight burnt taste, hence the name "porridge."

　　Eating it warms and nourishes the stomach. It is especially soothing for those who have drunk too much alcohol—a bowl of this porridge in the morning can bring instant comfort to the stomach. When slightly cooled, a skin forms on the surface while the underneath remains hot, hence the saying, "Impatient people can't drink hot 'Hutu'." Once the porridge has completely cooled, it can be cut into tofu-like squares. Legend has it that Zheng Banqiao, while passing through Yuncheng, tried the porridge and was so impressed that he wrote the four characters "Nan De Hu Tu" ("Hard to Be Muddled"), which have been passed down through generations and have become a well-known maxim.