Hu La Tang (Spicy Pepper Soup)
My stomach burns in the morning! Northern China Alarm Soup with Lots of Black Pepper
Description
The representative breakfast soup of Northern China, originating in Henan. A beef broth base heavily spiked with massive black pepper (Hu), black vinegar, and chili (La), thickened into a paste-like consistency with flour-water. Warms the body aggressively from the core.
Restaurants serving Hu La Tang (Spicy Pepper Soup)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Beef
- Wood ear mushrooms
- Dried tofu skin
- Wheat gluten(Mian Jin)
- Black pepper powder
- White pepper
- Black vinegar
- Wheat flour(for thickening)
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Boil beef bones and meat for hours to extract a rich broth.
- Remove the beef and chop finely. Prepare rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, julienned dried tofu skin, glass noodles, and 'Mian Jin' (wheat gluten sponges).
- Bring the beef broth to a boil and add all ingredients.
- Add the flavor core: 'massive amounts of black pepper powder', white pepper, Five-Spice, soy, and salt to build a deep, spicy foundation.
- [The Ultimate Point]: Pour in a slurry made of 'Wheat Flour' (not starch). Stir continuously until the entire soup thickens to the consistency of a 'heavy stew' or 'glue'.
- Finish by drizzling heavily with black vinegar (Lao Chen Cu) for tartness and a touch of sesame oil.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Intense black pepper heat、Black vinegar tartness
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Add massive black pepper to hot & sour soup packets)
Pairing
You Tiao (Fried dough) / Shui Jian Bao(Pan-fried buns)
Trivia
[Trivia] In Northern China, where winter mornings drop below freezing, this acts like a 'drinkable hand warmer' to instantly heat the body. The pepper heat makes you sweat and wakes you up immediately.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] It is too spicy to drink alone. You MUST dunk 'You Tiao' (fried dough) or scallion pancakes heavily into the bowl, letting the bread absorb the thick soup before eating them together.
Allergen
Beef, Wheat, Soybeans