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Blondie In China and food expert Shen Shan explore Yangye Hotpot in Guizhou and Sichuan. They begin with a Guizhou street hotpot, then travel to Yongjiang, described as the dish’s birthplace. The episode covers goat farming and slaughter, hotpot preparation, a milder 100-herb soup, raw goat blood with aromatics and rice vinegar, and raw goat stomach juice. They also visit Tasha Village, where the winning soccer team receives a cow.
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From Guizhou hot pot to Yongjiang
Blondie In China travels with food expert Shen Shan to try Yangye Hotpot, made with goat stomach juice. They begin in Guyang with a street-stall hotpot and discuss how the local approach uses the flavorful base, sometimes adding hot water to extend it for another course. After reaching Yongjiang, described as the birthplace of the dish, they learn about its origins and medicinal associations. Local people explain their belief that goat stomach juice is preferable to cow stomach juice because goats are selective eaters and smaller. The journey includes a visit to a goat farm and a demonstration of how the ingredients are sourced and prepared.
Tasting the dishes
The preparation includes stir-fried and hotpot versions using goat stomach juice and bile from the gallbladder. Blondie is nervous but tries both; she describes the stir-fried version as bitter but balanced and the hotpot as refreshing and lighter than expected. They also taste raw goat blood prepared with aromatics and rice vinegar, which gives it a soft, set texture similar to a jelly. The most challenging taste is the raw stomach juice, which Blondie describes as meaty, with notes she compares to sheep and grass. She prefers the cooked versions but completes the tasting. The sauces for the raw blood and stomach juice are notable for their blend of aromatics.
The trip ends with a visit to Tasha Village and its soccer culture. The winning team’s prize is a cow, a detail that surprises the travelers. Blondie reflects on the origins of the food and the importance of understanding local food traditions, while the village visit adds a separate view of community life in the region. The first meal in Guyang gives the travelers a comparison point before they reach Yongjiang. They learn that the hotpot base is not simply discarded after one round: adding hot water can make a second serving. In Yongjiang, the goat farm visit and the explanation of how the dish is sourced precede the preparation. The cooked versions and raw dishes each have a different texture and taste, and Blondie compares the raw blood with a set, soft jelly because of the rice vinegar and aromatics. Her most difficult sample is the uncooked stomach juice, which she describes as meaty, with sheep and grass notes. She finishes the challenge despite preferring the cooked versions. The final stop in Tasha Village shifts from food to local soccer, where a cow is the winning team’s prize.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What did the goat stomach juice taste like?
- A: Blondie described the goat stomach juice as meaty, with hints of sheep and grass. She found the taste surprisingly not bad after trying it, despite those distinctive flavors.
- Q: Was the raw blood difficult to try?
- A: It was raw, but the aromatics and rice vinegar gave it a soft jelly-like texture and a flavor she found better than expected.
- Q: What surprised them about the Tasha Village soccer competition?
- A: The most surprising detail was that the winning team in the Tasha Village soccer competition receives a cow. That unexpected prize was what stood out to them about the village visit.
