Hebei Chili Soup

Hebei Chili Soup

　　Hebei Chili Soup

　　The "Hebei" in Hebei Chili Soup isn't the Chinese province of Hebei. It's a local term used by people in Baishui County to describe a specific region within their county. Because the shape of the Baishui map resembles a hat, and the Luo River runs from the northwest to the southeast through the area, with the county town located at the southernmost part of the county, locals refer to the three towns north of the Luo River (Shiguan, Zongmu, and Beiyuan) as the "Three Towns of Hebei," and naturally, the people living there are called "Hebei people." Of course, those living south of the Luo River are referred to as "Henan people."

　　Hebei Chili Soup has several distinctive features: "it looks very red but isn’t spicy; it seems not steaming hot but can still burn your mouth; it appears oily but isn’t greasy." The flavor is extremely rich and mellow. The traditional way to eat it is to scoop a bowl, soak a steamed bun in it, and enjoy the delicious combination. After finishing one bowl, many go for a second. However, often people choose to eat more soup and less bun just to have more of the soup. After eating, everyone looks refreshed and thoroughly satisfied, with their contentment clearly showing on their faces.

　　In fact, "Hebei Chili Soup" isn't its real name. Originally in Hebei, it was called "Caojiu." The word "cao" locally means to pick up food with chopsticks, while "jiu" refers to the action of eating side dishes with staple foods like steamed buns. Though the meanings are similar, they’re not exactly the same, and the original term’s exact origin is unclear. But based on its literal meaning, it can be served either as a side dish to go with a bun ("jiu") or the bun can be soaked into the soup and eaten by picking it up ("cao"). "Henan people," unable to remember the name, saw the layer of chili oil floating on top of the soup and simply started calling it "chili soup." Moreover, most people love to eat it but either can't or don’t know how to make it authentically. Many chefs from restaurants in the county town even went to "Hebei" to learn the recipe, hoping to open specialty shops in the city. But those who tried it all said it didn’t taste right. So eventually, everyone gave up on the idea—If you want to eat real Hebei Chili Soup, you still have to go to "Hebei."