Luzhu Huoshao [Photo via tuchong.com]

Luzhu Huoshao (pork stew with cake) is one of the most well-known traditional Beijing street foods. Long considered as luxury food, the cuisine is especially prevalent in Beijing. The main ingredients are pork, pork lung, pork intestines, pork liver, tofu, and some may add termented bean curd or chives sauce, and it is served with cakes.

Origin and history

The origins of Luzhu Huoshao can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty as a royal food in Peking. According to legends, "Su Zao Rou" was a dish invented by Zhang Dongguan as a tribute for  Emperor Qianlong during one of Qianlong's inspection to Suzhou and it was the origin of Luzhu Huoshao . Unlike other cooks, Zhang Dongguan combined different types of herbs and spices in cooking, and his technique impressed Emperor Qianlong, so Zhang eventually became the lead cook in the palace. As time goes by, the recipe of "Su Zao Rou" spread to the out side of palace as well, and many people tried to imitate the cooking style and eat like an emperor. However the key ingredient, which is pork belly, was not very affordable for many people at that time. Therefore, pork lung, intestines and many other type of pork offal were used as a substitute for pork belly, in order to make the most people able to afford this dish. Hence, Luzhu Huoshao was formed over generations, and since then, it has become one of the most well-known Beijing street food, and still in fashion nowadays.

Popularity

Much like Stinky Tofu, Luzhu Huoshao also has a very strong odor, and it could be a challenge for people who haven't ever tried before. However, it is still one of the most famous Beijing traditional street foods, and a "must try" for local Beijing people. Cui Daiyuan is a contemporary writer from Beijing. In his book "The Flavor of Beijing", Cui has described Luzhu Huoshao as a kind of "food that allows the poor people to experience the superior life" in the chapter for Luzhu Huoshao. In his opinion, Beijing's street foods such as Luzhu Huoshao provide a chance for the poor people to experience how the foods in palace taste like. Luzhu Huoshao was originated from palace food, hence the ingredients were costly for many families in the old days. Nevertheless, many people also wanted to know how did the food for the emperor tasted like, so they replaced the expensive ingredients such as pork belly with cheap ingredients such as pork lung and intestines, and created their own version of "palace food". Nowadays, eating Luzhu Huoshao is more like a custom that Beijing people feels attached with. Not everyone would accept the strong odor, but people who like it certainly feel attached to it and the traditional Beijing culture. Therefore, you can still find many restaurants that sell Luzhu Huoshao in Beijing or even overseas.

Characteristics

There are certain characteristics that are expected from well-made Luzhu Huoshao, which also make it a unique Beijing street food. Similar to Baodu, the meat in well-made Luzhu Huoshao is supposed to be reasonably chewy, neither too tough nor falling apart. It might have an unappetizing appearance, but the taste should be rather complex and salty, with a sense of herb and soy sauce. The Huo Shao ("Bing" in Chinese, a kind of cake) is soaked in the soup to flavor it, and it should be juicy rather than sticky. Pork offal would have a strong odor, but it should still be fresh made, without any tacky taste or smell.