Herbal-Stewed Pig’s Trotters in Anren

Herbal-Stewed Pig’s Trotters in Anren

　　When talking about Anren in Chenzhou, one cannot miss a signature dish: herbal-stewed pig’s trotters, which is even hailed as the “Number One Soup Under Heaven.”

　　According to the Annals of Anren County, for over 1,200 years, locals have had the custom of brewing herbal soup after the Spring Equinox. The local people use more than 10 kinds of herbs—including bone-strengthening wind, bone-searching wind, moon wind vine, yellow flower inverted water lotus, yellow-skinned eucommia, and dragon bone divine tendon—along with pig’s trotters and black beans to brew a dark, thick soup that is not only nourishing but also incredibly delicious.

　　We asked locals in Anren to explain how to make this “Number One Soup Under Heaven,” and the process is actually quite simple: first, wash and dry nearly 10 kinds of herbs, then chop them into one-inch pieces for later use. When brewing the herbs, put them into a pot and add water just enough to cover them. Boil over high heat for about 8 hours, then strain out the herbal broth and add more water to simmer the herb residue for another 4 hours. After brewing, combine both broths and continue boiling. Add large chunks of pig’s trotters and pork (about 5 pounds), chicken (about 3 pounds), 20 boiled and shelled eggs, one and a half pounds of black beans, along with some traditional Chinese herbs such as prepared rehmannia root, goji berries, and angelica root. Simmer everything together over low heat for a whole day and night until it becomes a thick, dark soup. Once the meat and beans are soft and tender, it’s ready to eat. Have a big bowl in the morning or evening—it can serve as a full meal or a satisfying snack, and the taste is simply unforgettable.