Leizhou Dog Meat Hot Pot

Leizhou Dog Meat Hot Pot

　　　In Chinese dietary habits, dog meat is considered a secondary food and is not typically served at formal meals. However, in recent years, with the increasing variety of dishes, some traditional foods and even popular street snacks have gradually made their way into high-end restaurants and eateries.

　　　　Dishes that are “not fit for the table,” such as dog meat, can be enjoyed on the Leizhou Peninsula in Zhanjiang. Here, the dog meat hot pot, known in Cantonese as “daa bin lou” (lit. side-boiler), is available all year round.

　　　　It can be sampled in Zhanjiang’s five counties and four districts, as well as in the Pearl River Delta region—especially in Shenzhen, the birthplace of China’s reform and opening up, and Dongguan, nestled between Guangzhou. Signs for “Leizhou Dog Meat Hot Pot” are commonplace. Particularly in the evenings, groups of people gathered in open-air street stalls along city roads can be seen laughing and chatting over plates of dog meat, with the aroma wafting through the air. In some hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants, you can also try “white sliced dog meat.”

　　　　Dog meat is tender and nutritious, making it a favorite among diners. According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, dog meat “calms the five internal organs, lightens the body, boosts qi, nourishes the stomach, warms the waist, strengthens strength, remedies the five strains and seven impairments, enriches blood and brain, and fortifies the lower Yuan.” Not only is dog meat highly nutritious, but it also helps prevent and treat diseases, making it an excellent tonic especially during winter.