Hulatang is a kind of Chinese traditional soup created in Henan Province but became popularised in the cuisine of Shaanxi Province. Chinese immigrants have introduced it to the United States, where it is known as "spicy soup". It can be divided into two different versions: Xiaoyao Town version (from a town near Zhoukou City) and Beiwudu version. As its name — literally the characters 'pepper' + 'capsicum/chilli' + 'soup' — implies, capsicum and black pepper are put into the broth made by beef soup.
History
Pepper was brought to China during the Tang dynasty. According to records, the ingredients used were similar to present day recipes. In addition to pepper, some herbs and flavourings such as ginger,aniseed and fennel are added into the boiling soup to improve the flavour and make it spicy and hot.
In modern China, especially for northerners, hulatang is a popular breakfast dish. A bowl of soup usually starts at four Yuan, but can be more expensive depending on the fame of the restaurant, quality and variety of its ingredients.
Ingredients
Cooked beef, beef soup, flour, vermicelli, kelp, spinach, pepper, ginger, salt, vinegar and sesame oil.