Li’s Kitchen: Stir-fried beef tripe

Animal innards have a special status in the culinary culture of China.

The poor once had to rely on cheap foodstuff of such to survive.

However, beef tripe - the edible lining from a cow’s stomach - has recently turned to become a popular ingredient for youngsters in China.

Here is one basic fact: a cow has four stomach chambers, and they can weigh up to over 10 kilograms altogether.

 Stir-fried beef tripe entails specific cuts of meat, which means only a small part of the cow’s stomach can be used to prepare this dish.

Every time that Li goes to shop at the market around the corner of where he lives, he feels a bit awkward himself. 

Li believes that he deserves a VIP service, simply because he has been buying beef from the same butcher’s shop for years. 

This time, Li takes the knife from the butcher, cutting off the part of tripe that he wants, and disappears in the crowd swiftly.

As you may have been tired of eating boiled, steamed or even grilled food all days around, this stir-fried tripe could be the dish that rocks your taste buds right away.

Li doesn’t see himself having much ambition. What he has been longing for is a simple life, and cooking - especially cooking for his loved one - is undoubtedly the essence of this life.

Recipe:

1. Chop some garlic, gingers and fresh red chili peppers.  

2. Prepare some spices, including mints, spring opinions, corianders, basils, green Sichuan peppercorns and herbs.

3. Slice the beef tripe and marinate it with soy sauce and cornflour.

4. Heat up a pan and add some vegetable oil. Stir-fry the beef tripe fast, and pour all spices into the pan before serving.

Writing and filming by Li Wenjun; trans-editing by Wang Jingzhong; photographs by Li Wenjun