Yunnan Xiaoguo Za Za Tang

In the mountain towns of Yunnan, offal cookery has a long and deeply practical history — nothing from the slaughter was wasted. This small-pot miscellany soup, known colloquially as Za Za Tang ("miscellaneous miscellaneous soup"), dates to at least the Qing dynasty and is still sold from predawn streetcart stalls in Kunming. It combines tripe, lung, and liver simmered with fresh peppercorn and wild mushrooms native to the plateau.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) honeycomb tripe, cleaned and cut into 4cm pieces
• 150g (5 oz) pork lung, cleaned and sliced 1cm thick
• 150g (5 oz) pork liver, sliced 5mm thick
• 50g (2 oz) dried porcini or Yunnan dried mushrooms, soaked and drained
• 1.5 litres (6 cups) rich pork bone stock
• 30g (1 oz) fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) Yunnan shaojiu (or Shaoxing wine)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn (huajiao)
• 1 tsp green Yunnan peppercorn (or additional huajiao)
• 3 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1 small handful fresh mint leaves
• Salt to taste
• Dried chilli flakes to serve

Instructions

1. Blanch tripe and lung separately in boiling water with a splash of shaojiu and a few ginger slices, 5 minutes each. Drain and rinse.
2. Bring stock to a boil in a clay pot or heavy saucepan. Add ginger, both peppercorns, and soaked mushrooms. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Add tripe and lung. Simmer 20-25 minutes until tripe is tender but still has bite.
4. Add pork liver and soy sauce. Cook 3-4 minutes only — the liver should be just cooked through.
5. Stir in spring onions and check seasoning with salt.
6. Ladle into bowls and scatter fresh mint over the top. Serve with chilli flakes on the side.

Cook's Notes: The fresh mint is non-negotiable in Yunnan offal soups — it cuts through the richness and reflects the province's Southeast Asian culinary border. Liver must be added last; if overcooked it becomes grainy and bitter.