Delicious sheep droppings – “Sheep waste””

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On the second day of the first lunar month, I went to my wife’s hometown in Celiang Township, deep in the mountains of Hechi, where I tasted some truly delicious lamb that is only available once every few years. Yet the best part of this trip was not only tasting the “sheep stew” but also witnessing the process of preparing it with my own eyes. 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/085028ia5bteyq5q2j62zy.jpg The so-called “sheep retention” soup is made by boiling the undigested food in the sheep’s stomach and intestines. Sheep eat various kinds of grass; once it enters the stomach, it is soaked in gastric juices and then regurgitated in a mixed state with saliva. After entering the intestines, it mixes with intestinal juices and is further processed by various enzymes. At this point, the grass has turned into a yellow-green paste-like nutrient substance. If it were used as a medicine, there would be nothing unusual about it; traditional Chinese medicine has employed countless remedies over the ages, with poisonous insects, feces, and even arsenic all being used in medicines. But to consume it as food is truly remarkable – it would likely make most people cover their mouths in disgust, feel nauseous, and exclaim, “How can one eat such thing?” ! ” 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/085137c6gq6tu5rljfr7ol.jpg In fact, to enjoy delicious food, one must first be willing to try it and overcome psychological barriers. In fact, the “sheep retention” soup has existed since ancient times. As recorded in \"Xi Man Cong Xiao\" written by Song Zhu Fu: \"It is not really a soup: the intestines and internal organs of cattle and sheep are simply washed and arranged, and then used to make a soup for guests; it smells so bad that one can’t even get close to it.\" When it was eaten, great joy ensued. ” 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/085244qo7j8udv78ddo8rf.jpg The earlier work \"Lingbiao Yilu\" by Liu Xun of the Tang Dynasty is an important record of the customs and practices in the Lingnan region; it also mentions that in Jiaozhi, people eat soup by first sucking up the juice from it through their noses. No, it is actually a way of indicating phonetic transcription. ”This is none other than a soup – specifically, a soup made from beef or mutton. The people of the Lingnan region have always been known for their willingness and skill in eating such dishes; this was seen as strange and unusual by those in the north, who referred to them as \"barbarians\" or \"exotic people.\" Yet, literary works from various dynasties mention this soup, suggesting that it must be something special indeed. 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/085343jszluie1up9elv9u.jpg Of course, there are many who dare to eat it; even those who can tolerate extreme bitterness, spiciness, sourness, and astringency will try it. To attract those who eat it, its taste must be \"delicious\". When eating \"sheep testicle\" soup, the most important thing is to prepare the \"sheep testicles\" properly; otherwise, no one would dare to eat such a disgusting-looking and tasting ingredient. 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/085455ht91mb8h3hhh00kk.jpg To make \"Sheep Retention\" soup, not all sheep are suitable for use; for example, sheep that live in greenhouses and are fed on fodder are not appropriate, as what they consume would be nothing but the soybean bran and growth hormones given to them by humans, and such soup would likely have a very unpleasant taste. To choose sheep that graze on wild grasses, mountain goats are the best option; they chew on grass roots, swallow leaves, and eat vines. These sheep are of the highest quality and are extremely rare. This time, our relatives back home arranged to get one for us in advance; it costs 12 yuan per jin. Although it made our stomachs swell like giant drums after eating it, it was well worth it. 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/085545nu11uumm1msx10uu.jpg When Brother Jin opened the belly of the sheep that had been slaughtered, I saw a section of the small intestine that was thin and greenish in color. Carefully remove it and place it on a plate, making sure the contents inside the intestine do not spill out. According to the records of the Song dynasty, the grass that had not been fully digested in the sheep’s stomach, along with the gastric juices, could be used after being filtered repeatedly. This time, we are using only this section of the sheep’s small intestine; the food in this part of the intestine is finely processed – it lacks the roughness of grass in the stomach, as well as the unpleasant odor associated with the area near the large intestine. It is therefore the finest possible ingredient. At the same time, the sheep’s lungs and liver were removed, boiled in water, and set aside for later use. 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/085704t5sxx8as6zmc88wo.jpg Then, place the iron pot on the fire, add wood to keep it burning, and pour the entire batch of \"sheep intestine\" into the hot pot to stir-fry. In a few minutes, steam billowed out, with a yellow-green, thick paste bursting forth. Continue to stir-fry for about five to six minutes, until all the contents inside the intestines have been cooked out; at this point, a thick yellow-green paste can be seen in the pan, which resembles feces. Add a few spoonfuls of cooking oil and stir-fry; the aroma fills the air, causing saliva to flow in those around. After the oil has been heated thoroughly to cook the sheep offal, add water to fill the pot. Remove the intestines from the sheep offal and chop them up; at the same time, chop the sheep’s lungs and liver as well. Cut several pieces of ginger into small pieces and add them, along with the chopped sheep offal, to the soup. Sprinkle in an appropriate amount of salt and keep the heat high. http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/094700od2p23ucf2f3j89j.jpg Making “Sheep Holding Back” soup may seem simple, but there are specific considerations from slaughtering the sheep to cooking it, and different people will end up with different flavors. My cousin grew up in mountainous areas where herding is common, and he is also good at finding food. Whenever he handles it, a true expert creates delicious results. Putting everything else aside, just watching his movements is a pleasure in itself. 　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/095326o8bwwi3wdmz5spci.jpg There are various ways to prepare the “Sheep Holding Back” soup; for those who like spicy flavors, chili can be added, while those who prefer a cooler taste can include mint. If the soup isn’t bitter enough, ingredients such as balsam pear and coptis root can be added. There are also many different ways to consume it – it can be drunk as a soup, served with wine, or paired with other dishes along with dipping sauces. 　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/095520q16zy01249zk9jfk.jpg Besides the \"sheep intestines\" soup, there is also the substance found in cattle intestines, which can be used to make \"cattle intestines\" soup. In the northwestern part of Guangxi, this soup is just as popular as the \"sheep intestines\" soup; in many places, there are specialized restaurants that serve these soups, attracting many customers. 　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/095619ter9c461q1r1cp9z.jpg The soup is ready; it is poured into bowls, with a thick layer of \"sheep offal\" soup on top of each bowl, followed by various types of sheep offal. Sprinkle with green onions for an enticing aroma; take a sip and experience its sweet, bitter, and fragrant taste, along with a natural scent. The aftertaste is truly unforgettable once it’s swallowed. I was quick to act; before anyone else arrived, I finished two large bowls and a pot of soup, consuming it all in no time, while the others still felt they had only taken a slight taste. 　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/095728po7rjqq147r211j8.jpg The “sheep stew” and “cow stew”, in addition to satisfying the taste buds and allowing one to enjoy a delicious meal, also have benefits such as aiding digestion, reducing heat, detoxifying, and eliminating internal fire. The “Lingbiao Lu Yi” also records: “Eat beef from the stomach of cattle... Once full, mix it with salt, cheese, ginger, and cinnamon and consume it as a stew (stew: grass that has been digested in the cow’s stomach); this is called ‘Holy Stew’, and it prevents bloating in the abdomen.” ”It is used to aid digestion by eating “cow dung”. 　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/095826qa3k74hh4gqr11qa.jpg While researching, I also came across the mention of “qing geng” in Zhou Qufei’s work \"Lingwai Daida\": \"The people living in the mountainous and remote areas eat everything, regardless of whether it is birds, beasts, snakes, or insects.\" ……In more extreme cases, people would cook sheep stomachs mixed with unclean substances to make a stew, called \"qingji\", in order to test the guests’ tolerance – if the guests were willing to eat it, they were considered very tolerant; if not, it was seen as signs of suspicion. Yet it’s unclear who is actually being suspicious between the host and the guests. According to Liu Xun of the Tang dynasty and Zhu Fu of the Song dynasty, they certainly never ate birds, beasts, snakes, or insects, let alone the stews described by them; otherwise, they wouldn’t have held such prejudices. 　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/100106w21ua5dzdd3y2l54.jpg http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/100144hykyyvzd0eiminaa.jpg Uploaded on 2015-1-13 at 10:01; Download attachment (118.33 KB)　　　 http://www.crystalradio.cn/data/attachment/forum/201501/13/100212opkw6hrp0hw8usgq.jpg Uploaded on 2015-1-13 at 10:02; Download attachment (76.67 KB)