Mixed Soup Varieties

Mixed Soup Varieties

　　Beef soup, mutton soup, donkey meat soup, meatball soup, tofu soup, and stinky mixed liver soup: People in Luoyang have a habit of drinking soup. In the morning, they enjoy beef soup, mutton soup, donkey meat soup, tofu soup, and stinky mixed liver soup, while in the evening and at night, meatball soup is preferred. Especially in the morning, some people buy soup in pots, basins, or small buckets to serve as the whole family’s breakfast.

Each type of soup has its own distinct features. Tofu soup is a vegetarian soup, with a spicy yet mild broth, best prepared without monosodium glutamate, and the tofu is soft and smooth on the palate. Meatball soup is also a vegetarian soup, made with mung bean flour and black bean sprouts mixed with seasonings, then deep-fried into egg-sized balls. These are served with dried shrimp, Chinese chives, monosodium glutamate, salt, vinegar, five-spice powder, pepper, and oil, all blended into boiling pork bone broth. Beef soup comes in two types: sweet beef soup and salty beef soup. Sweet beef soup contains no salt, chili, or additional ingredients—the broth is fresh and the meat tender, quickly replenishing the body’s morning nutritional and hydration needs. Salty beef soup, in addition to a full range of seasonings, is further enhanced with a drizzle of chili oil, making it especially flavorful—warming you up in winter and refreshing in summer. Mutton soup is made with carefully selected ingredients and a full range of seasonings, yielding a rich, tender, and non-greasy broth that is neither gamey nor heavy, leaving you feeling refreshed and energized after drinking. Donkey meat soup features unique ingredients and a thick, rich flavor, with pure and fragrant meat. It is often paired with “white blood” (a tofu-like product made from serum protein processed through special techniques), making it ideal for spring and summer when it is warm but not drying, and nourishing and strengthening for autumn and winter. Stinky mixed liver soup shares similar ingredients and seasonings with beef soup, but differs in its unique preparation method. The key ingredient is cow offal (mixed liver), which is cooked in the broth and then specially processed. Its aroma uniquely combines the fragrance of beef with the distinctive scent of offal. Because the smell is so unusual, it defies description—hence the playful label “stinky.” In reality, it tempts the nose with its inviting aroma rather than repelling with “stench.” The reason stinky mixed liver soup has endured through time and attracted so many diners is that people come to savor its rich, pure meat and uniquely aromatic, robust flavors.

Luoyang people’s love for soup has also influenced the dietary habits of non-native residents in the city, resulting in a wide variety of soups and soup shops spread throughout both urban and rural areas.