Yong Chun Niu Za Tang

Niu za tang — beef offal soup — is a staple of Fujian street markets and night markets, particularly in Yong Chun county where the practice of slow-braising tripe, tendon, and intestine in a deeply spiced master stock dates back centuries. The broth is built over hours and often days, with the braising liquid (lu) replenished and reused indefinitely, growing richer and more complex with each batch — a tradition known as "hundred-year lu." The result is offal that is yielding, fragrant, and free of any harsh notes.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz) beef honeycomb tripe, cleaned
• 300 g (10 oz) beef tendon, whole
• 200 g (7 oz) beef large intestine, cleaned and turned inside out
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp (15 g) rock sugar
• 3 star anise
• 1 stick cassia bark (or cinnamon)
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 1 tsp (5 g) Sichuan peppercorns
• 4 slices fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 litre (4 cups) water or beef stock
• 2 spring onions, for garnish
• Chilli oil and Shacha sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Blanch all offal separately in boiling water with ginger for 5 minutes each. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove impurities.
2. Bring the water or stock to a boil in a heavy pot. Add all aromatics, soy sauces, rice wine, and rock sugar. Stir to dissolve.
3. Add the tendon (it takes the longest) and braise at a low simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
4. Add the tripe and intestine. Continue braising at a low simmer for 1.5–2 hours until all the offal is tender — the tendon should be gelatinous and yield completely to chopsticks, the tripe should be toothsome but not chewy.
5. Remove all pieces and slice into bite-sized portions when cool enough to handle.
6. Return the sliced offal to the broth and reheat. Ladle into deep bowls with plenty of broth.
7. Garnish with sliced spring onion. Serve with chilli oil, Shacha sauce, and steamed white rice.

Cook's Notes: For deeper flavour, refrigerate the cooked offal in the broth overnight and reheat the next day — this is the "multi-day" approach that Fujian street vendors use. The lu stock can be frozen and reused as a base for future batches.