Dang's Iron Pot Stew

Dang's Iron Pot Stew

　　Iron pot stew is an ancient cooking technique where meat, vegetables, and other ingredients are simmered in an iron pot. The resulting dish is called “di guo cai” (earthen pot dish). Cooking di guo cai requires an iron pot because during the cooking process, more iron dissolves into the food, continuously supplying the body with iron to compensate for what may be lacking in the ingredients themselves. It also keeps the dish nutritious and sizzling hot, allowing you to enjoy a warm, hearty, sweat-inducing meal.

　　In the old days, di guo cai was especially popular in rural areas. A pit would be dug in the ground, a pot placed over it, and firewood lit underneath—hence the name “earth pot.” Later on, earthen stoves were built using bricks and mud, with pots placed on top and firewood underneath.

　　There are many varieties of iron pot stew. For example, iron pot pork ribs begin with chopped pork ribs soaked in cold water to remove blood, then blanched in boiling water to eliminate scum before being rinsed with cold water. Cooking wine is added to remove any fishy smell, and caramelized sugar is used to brown the ribs. Next, the pot is heated with oil, and eighteen types of premium Chinese herbs—including Sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves, ginger slices, and chili—are stir-fried until fragrant. The ribs are then added and slowly stir-fried for several minutes before adding the right amount of water for slow braising. Salt, soy sauce, seasonings, as well as mushrooms and radishes are added and cooked until tender. The resulting ribs are tender and flavorful, rich in nutrition, and packed with numbing, spicy, and savory notes.

　　Among all the di guo cai in Heyang, the most famous one is currently served at “Big Pot Big Stove” on Fenghuang North Road in the county town. This style of cooking is based on a family-secret recipe. The general manager, Dang Tianxing, learned it from his father, Dang Hezhai, who before the founding of the PRC had run a medicinal herb wholesale business in Sanyuan County for over thirty years under the brand name “San Yi Tang.” He frequently sourced premium Chinese herbs from Gansu, Ningxia, and Qinghai, selling them to regions such as Zhejiang, Fujian, and Shanghai, making him one of the largest medicinal herb wholesalers in Northwest China. He had a lifelong passion for researching medicinal cuisine. Whenever relatives or friends visited, he would personally select various premium herbs to mix with seasonings and instruct his wife to prepare di guo cai as a treat. When the meat was tender and the vegetables cooked, filling the air with fragrance, he would invite everyone to gather around the stove to enjoy the meal. At that moment, the air would be thick with aroma and warmth, drawing everyone into the cozy atmosphere. Truly reminiscent of the verse: “An old friend prepares chicken and rice, inviting me to his home. Green trees surround the village, blue hills frame the town beyond. Windows open to fields and gardens, we drink and chat of crops...” From then on, every visit to the Dang household left guests longing for the Dang family’s di guo cai, and the Dangs, in turn, took joy in serving their signature dish as a gesture of hospitality. Generation after generation, the recipe has been passed down just as it is.

　　Eating Dang family di guo cai while sitting around the stove brings a feeling of warmth, harmony, kinship, and friendship. To share this coziness and happiness, Dang Tianxing came up with the idea of introducing the Dang family di guo cai to the public. In November 2013, Dang family di guo cai made its debut. The dish is served on a hearth with a pot set atop the stove, firewood burning below. The flames roar fiercely beneath the pot, the contents sizzle, steam rises vigorously, and meat, vegetables, and eggs tumble within—greens, reds, and whites swaying together. Visiting the place instantly makes you feel at home and reminds you of the big stews your mother used to cook in a large iron pot, bringing back warm memories of family togetherness. Not only is it affordable, but it’s also delicious, attracting diners from all directions.

　　Dang family di guo cai continues to innovate while staying true to tradition. They have specially trained chefs and have developed iron pot fish, iron pot chicken, iron pot rabbit, and even pure beef and mutton barbecue—all bursting with color, aroma, taste, and a stronger sense of family warmth. After finishing the tender stewed meat, diners can add self-grown radishes, greens, vermicelli, tofu, or choose from optional ingredients such as shrimp or mushrooms to cook briefly in the pot broth. After the main dishes, diners can enjoy a few strands of hand-pulled biang biang noodles cooked in the remaining broth—slippery, tender, soft, thin yet translucent, chewy yet smooth. Lifting a strand, you almost suck it into your mouth, chewing and swallowing it effortlessly. In the local dialect, it’s simply “liáo zhā liě!” (awesome!). The Dang family upholds ancestral virtues with strict ingredient sourcing and guaranteed quality. Their authentic free-range farmhouse chicken, Northeastern wild fish, and wild rabbit are all carefully selected, and the barbecued beef and mutton are specially ordered from the Weinan Halal Canteen.

　　Dang family di guo cai offers a return to nature, health, warmth, and the ultimate dining choice for that homely feeling. Friends, why not come and give it a try? (Text by Luo Zhufang)