Lamb spine hot pot

Lamb spine hot pot

　　    I had long heard that Beijingers love eating lamb spine hot pot, so last week when I went to Beijing, I was eager to try it. I headed straight for Shijingshan and found a well-known lamb spine hot pot restaurant, but perhaps because the place was too popular, they had sold out. Left with no choice, I then went to Caishikou, and only managed to have my lamb spine hot pot at 0 PM — what a journey indeed.

　　    But what exactly is this “lamb spine” that has so easily captured the hearts of Beijingers? In fact, it refers to the vertebrae of a lamb’s back, which, due to their shape resembling a scorpion, are called “lamb spine” (羊蝎子) by locals. Walking into the restaurant, my friend and I ordered half a pot of lamb spine hot pot. To our surprise, this “half pot” turned out to be a basin-sized serving piled high like a small mountain, with the broth only covering halfway up the heap. Following the local way, we didn’t add any condiments, just picked up the pieces with our hands and gnawed off the meat before sucking the marrow. So, we did as the locals do.

　　    And let me tell you, despite the strong smell, the taste is surprisingly delicious — the meat is tender and free from any unpleasant odor, while the soup is rich, likely flavored with soy sauce and spices, offering a uniquely savory experience. That said, eating it this way isn’t exactly second nature to someone from Sichuan, and we ultimately couldn’t finish the half pot.

　　    Still craving more, I started to wonder how I, as someone with a Sichuan palate, might reinvent the dish: perhaps cooking the lamb spine in a spicy red broth, or serving it with a dry Sichuan chili dip, or even a dipping sauce made with cilantro, crushed roasted chili, minced ginger, and minced garlic — that might just hit the spot even better.