Hulutou

Hulutou

　　Hulutou has a long history, dating back to the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that in the first year of Emperor Gaozong’s Longshuo era (661), a man surnamed Hu opened a “Miscellaneous Offal Shop” on Zhuque Street, specializing in pig innards. One day, the “Medicine Sage” Sun Simiao passed by and tried a bowl of “Fried White Intestine.” He found the intestines too fishy and greasy. After inquiring about the preparation method and learning it was not done properly, he immediately prescribed a recipe for an Eight-Treasure Soup (made with eight seasonings) for the shop owner to follow. Once the new method was used, the intestines became rich but not fishy, the soup oily but not greasy, and the taste incredibly delicious. From then on, customers flocked to the shop. To show gratitude for the sage’s advice, the shop owner hung a medicinal gourd at the entrance as a token of remembrance and named the dish “Hulutou.” There is another story about the name’s origin: it refers to the section where the pig’s large intestine connects to the stomach—a part rich in fat and shaped much like a gourd—thus giving the dish its name.

　　Hulutou has a deep-rooted history that can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. It is said that in the first year of Emperor Gaozong’s Longshuo era (661), a man surnamed Hu opened a “Miscellaneous Offal Shop” on Zhuque Street, selling pig innards. One day, the famous herbalist Sun Simiao passed by, had a bowl of “Fried White Intestine,” and found it too fishy and greasy. When he asked how it was made, he learned the technique was poor. He then prescribed an Eight-Treasure Soup (using eight spices) to the shop owner. Following his instructions, the resulting dish had rich but non-fishy intestines, and the soup was full-bodied yet not greasy—delicious in flavor. From then on, business boomed. To thank the herbalist, the shop owner hung a medicinal gourd at the door as a keepsake and named the dish “Hulutou.” Another explanation for the name is that it refers to the part where the pig’s large intestine connects to the stomach—a section rich in fat and shaped like a gourd.

　　By the late Qing Dynasty, there were many “Pig Offal Shops” selling pig stomach and intestines on the streets of Xi’an. In 1923, He Leyi, a former apprentice at a pork shop, started selling pig offal from a shoulder pole. To gain a competitive edge, he improved upon the Tang Dynasty version of hulutou. He refined the large intestines by combining them with pig stomach, pork belly, chicken, and bone broth, crafting them meticulously. The resulting dish featured tender and juicy stomach and intestines, rich and fresh in taste, with a spicy and numbing seasoning. It was rich but not greasy, refreshing and palatable, leading to very prosperous business.

　　To make hulutou, fresh intestines and stomach must be selected. They undergo multiple processing steps including soaking, rubbing, scraping, turning inside out, picking, rinsing, boiling, and drying. Physical treatments are also applied appropriately to remove mucus and impurities from the intestinal walls, eliminate grease and fishiness, and leave the intestines and stomach clean, white, and shiny. They are then boiled in a pot, taken out after cooking, cooled, and cut into oblique slices for later use.

　　Experts believe that the essence of hulutou lies not in the meat but in the broth, so the method of making the broth is very particular. Fresh pig bones are first cleaned, smashed, and put into a pot to simmer. The scum is skimmed off, then white chicken and pork are added, along with salt and a seasoning packet (namely the legendary Eight-Treasure Seasoning that Sun Simiao created). The mixture is then slow-cooked over a low flame until the broth becomes thick and milky white.

　　The bread is a type of baked flatbread called xibei mo, made from premium wheat flour. Customers must break it into pieces about the size of soybeans to allow the broth to soak in and blend with the bread.

　　With these three semi-prepared components, the final dish can be assembled. The bowl with bread enters the kitchen, where the chef arranges several slices each of cooked intestines, stomach, pork, and chicken neatly on top of the bread, along with soaked vermicelli. The dish is poured over with boiling broth three or four times, then seasoned with monosodium glutamate, garlic sprouts, chili peppers, cilantro, and more broth. This creates the standard Pork Hulutou. Seafood Hulutou is made by adding seafood such as shrimp, squid strips, and sea cucumber to the Pork Hulutou.

　　People in Xi’an enjoy hulutou in their own preferred ways. Generally, young and middle-aged men prefer more meat and richer, spicier broth to satisfy their craving for meat. Women tend to enjoy clear broth served separately—light on the stomach and refreshing, savoring its delicate fragrance. The elderly, meanwhile, appreciate the beauty of its form, color, texture, and taste. It is said that the intestines absorb the essence of grains, have a warming nature, and nourish the body, acting like “licorice” in medicine—adapting to heat or cold accordingly. In winter, it warms the stomach and intestines; in summer, it clears heat and cools the organs. Folk remedies even give it the name “Jade Intestine Soup.” When cooked with spices such as star anise, fennel, cubeb, magnolia bark, and ginseng, it becomes an excellent tonic for strengthening the intestines and replenishing weakness. In the 1930s, when the Northeast Army was stationed in Xi’an, many soldiers suffered from indigestion and loss of appetite due to the water and climate. General Zhang Xueliang noticed this and ordered camp chefs to replicate hulutou buns, adding them to the “sick meal” menu. However, the hulutou made in camp didn’t taste good and didn’t cure the illness. Later, after research by the military command, twenty “sick meal” coupons were issued daily, instructing Chunfasheng Bun Shop to prioritize making them.

　　Hulutou is not only delicious but also has therapeutic value, which is why it has remained popular for so long and is deeply rooted in local culture. Its benefits can be summarized in a poem: “The meat is tender as jade rings, the broth flows like thick nectar; five flavors harmonize for a delightful taste. Red spicy oil glistens like pearls, all fishiness removed leaves a fragrant mouth.”

　　Xi’an cuisine, just as authentic as in Qinghai—come and taste it soon！