Huangping Miao Preserved Soup

Huangping Miao Preserved Soup

　　Huangping Miao Preserved Soup Pig Intestines feature a preserved soup that has been kept for hundreds of years. It has a tangy and uniquely pungent aroma. Stored year-round and suitable for all seasons, it can be used to soak vegetables or stew fish and meat. Not only does it stimulate appetite and increase food intake, but it also aids digestion and reduces fat, making it an excellent dish for beauty and health.

　　If you wish to make your own preserved soup, you must obtain the original broth as a “starter.” First, wilt greens, wash them, wring them dry, and press them at the bottom of a prepared jar using stones. Then pour in the “starter,” cover the jar, and seal it with water around the rim for some time. Afterward, add rice gruel until the preserved soup turns light yellow. To maintain its rich flavor, it must be consumed regularly, and every few days, add diluted rice gruel or leftover paste water from pounded sticky rice. Additionally, include some litsea flowers, litsea cubes, and a small amount of burnt rice to enhance the aroma. Usually, fresh cowpeas, fresh chili peppers, fresh cucumbers, and fresh greens should be added to the preserved soup jar. Avoid adding oily items or meat. The pickled vegetables will have a sharp taste when freshly made and are hard to eat; they can only be consumed after twenty or thirty days. By then, the vegetables develop a crisp, tender, and tangy preserved flavor. They can be eaten raw or cooked—either way, sprinkle some charred chili powder before eating for an even better taste. Using the preserved soup to stew chicken or duck or cook fish and meat is exceptional—it removes the fishy smell of seafood and the greasiness of fatty meat, making the fish and meat more fragrant, tender, and delicious as they simmer. The soup becomes richer in flavor, and sipping it slowly offers a truly memorable taste.

　　Huangping’s “Haojiayuan” is the place with the most aromatic preserved soup, attracting a constant stream of diners. It is said that the preserved soup at “Haojiayuan” is meticulously prepared. With its red oil-infused preserved soup, white pig intestines, mixed with some beef offal, along with some vibrant green vegetables and a few stir-fried dishes, it leaves a lingering aftertaste that stays with you for days.