Yunnan Kao Zhu Chang (云南烤猪肠)

Street-grilled offal is the beating heart of Yunnan's night markets, from Dali to Jinhong. Pork intestines, meticulously cleaned and marinated in a blend of local spices and fermented bean paste, are threaded onto bamboo skewers and charcoal-grilled until crisp outside and succulent within. The accompanying dipping sauce of fresh mint, lemongrass, and dried chilli is a distinctly Dai ethnic touch that sets Yunnan's grilled offal apart from the rest of China.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the intestines:

• 600g (1.3 lb) cleaned pork intestines, cut into 8cm lengths
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fermented black bean paste (douchi)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp (3g) five-spice powder
• 1 tsp (3g) ground Sichuan pepper
• 2 tsp (10ml) rapeseed oil

For the herb dipping sauce:

• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, finely minced (white part only)
• 1 large handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce
• 2 dried red chillies, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp (5g) palm or brown sugar

Instructions

1. Clean intestines thoroughly: turn inside out, rub with coarse salt and vinegar, rinse repeatedly under cold running water. Blanch in boiling water with ginger and Shaoxing wine for 10 minutes. Drain and cool completely.
2. Mix the fermented black bean paste, soy sauce, rice wine, five-spice, Sichuan pepper, and rapeseed oil into a marinade. Toss the blanched intestines and marinate at least 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Combine all dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust lime or fish sauce. Set aside for flavours to meld.
4. Thread the intestines onto metal or pre-soaked bamboo skewers in an accordion fold. Grill over hot charcoal or a very hot gas grill 8–10 minutes per side, turning regularly, until deeply charred in places and cooked through.
5. Serve immediately with the herb dipping sauce and steamed sticky rice.

Cook's Notes: Thorough cleaning of intestines is non-negotiable — multiple rinses and the initial blanch remove any off-flavours. If intestines are unavailable, the same treatment works brilliantly with chicken hearts or gizzards. The Dai-style herb dip is what makes this dish sing.