Jiang's Braided Chili Soup

Jiang's Braided Chili Soup

　　Jiang's Braided Chili Soup is a specialty dish from Xinyi City, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. Jiang's chili soup is known for its numbing, spicy, savory, and aromatic flavors, made with dozens of ingredients. The soup has a light taste and thick texture, smooth on the palate with refined toppings.

　　During the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, Jiang Hongjun, who wore a large braid, sold chili soup door-to-door daily, carrying it around in a shoulder pole. Thanks to its delicious taste, the chili soup was dubbed “Braided Chili Soup” by locals. Owing to its growing fame, in 1885 he was invited to work in the imperial kitchen, specializing in soups. He returned to his hometown around 1900.

　　Around 1940, the art of making the chili soup was passed down to the second generation, Jiang Huaiyuan. Due to years of war, he made a living selling chili soup in cities such as Xuzhou, Pizhou, Nanjing, and Suzhou. Around 1980, he returned to Xinyi and reopened his chili soup business in two tile-roofed houses near today’s Jianye Road. After a century of development, in 2001, Jiang's chili soup was invited to participate in the Pengcheng Food Festival held in Xuzhou. During the event, it set a record by selling nearly 3,000 bowls per day and won the “Most Popular among Consumers” award; in 2006, it was featured in an interview by Taiwan’s Tiansen TV for their special feature on “China’s Famous Snacks.” During that time, it also received visits from multiple media outlets including Yangzi Evening News, Xuzhou Daily, and Xuzhou TV. Today, Jiang's Braided Chili Soup from Xinyi is renowned both at home and abroad for its four signature characteristics: numbing, spicy, savory, and aromatic.