Huludou

Huludou is a distinctive Xi'an paomo built on pig large intestine and stomach, repeatedly cleaned to remove odor, then cooked with bone broth and poured over torn bread for a thick, tender, rich-yet-light bowl.

It descends from the boiled and fried intestine dishes of Tang and Song Chang'an markets; legend credits the physician Sun Simiao with improving its odor using medicinal spices, and the name comes from the gourd-like shape of the fatty intestine end.

Eaten much like beef-and-mutton paomo, diners tear the bread and the kitchen soaks it with hot broth, served with sweet garlic and chili, with Chun Fa Sheng regarded as the authentic house.

A fine bowl depends on scrupulously cleaned offal and a milky, mellow broth, making huludou one of Xi'an's most history-laden street paomo.