Mao Xue Wang

A generous basin from Ciqikou's market-town food culture

Mao xue wang is counted among Ciqikou's traditional “three treasures”. Its character comes from variety rather than one ingredient: blood curd, tripe, huanghou, luncheon meat and vegetables hold distinct textures under a layer of chilli oil and Sichuan pepper.

Silky, crisp and soft textures share one broth

Modern versions commonly use duck blood, cut thick and cooked until smooth. Tripe stays crisp and resilient; huanghou, the large blood-vessel tissue of a pig or cow, has a firm snap. Luncheon meat is soft and savoury, while bean sprouts or lettuce at the bottom absorb the broth and retain some crunch.

The kitchen cooks the components in sequence, fills the basin, then releases the aroma of dried chilli, pepper and garlic with hot oil. It therefore arrives ready to eat with rice. Hot pot uses a related flavour vocabulary, but diners cook its raw ingredients continuously at the table.

Flavour and ingredient note

Mao xue wang is usually intensely hot and numbing. It contains duck or pork blood and often tripe, huanghou and other offal; eel, intestine and additional meats vary by restaurant.