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This traditional Beijing snack dates back 100 years to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Baked wheaten bread, tofu, pork chop, chitterlings and pork lung are cut into pieces and then boiled in the preserved meat broth. It is served with mashed garlic, chili oil, vinegar, fermented tofu, chives and coriander. Called “lu zhu huo shao” in Chinese, the snack gained popularity among commoners in the olden days because meat was too expensive while the offal was a cheaper option.

Chao gan, or stewed liver, evolved from ao gan (stewed pork liver) and ao gei (stir-fried pork lung), both folk foods from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The cleaned chitterlings are cut into pieces after being boiled in water. They are then stewed in mushroom soup with garlic sauce, chopped spring onion, chopped ginger and pork liver. Chicken soup and mashed garlic should be added before ready to serve. The soup is a glossy dark red and the pork liver and chitterlings are tender. Chao Gan used to be served with small dumplings, but now there is no particular way to eat it.

Bao du, or fried beef tripe, has been a famous Beijing snack since the time of Emperor Qianlong (r. 1735-1795) of the Qing Dynasty. The snack is mostly made and sold by the Hui. After being cleaned and cut into slices, fresh beef tripe or lamb tripe is cooked in boiling water. It is often served with oil, sesame sauce, vinegar, chili oil, soy sauce, fermented tofu juice, coriander, spring onion and other seasonings. It is tender and crispy, and people often eat it with beer or other alcohol.