A special dish named “stewed herbal medicine and pettitoes” is one of the most famous specialties of Anren county, Chenzhou city. The soup of stewed herbal medicine and pettitoes is even honored as “No.1 soup of China”.

According to “Anren Annals”, Anren people are used to drink herbal medicine soup during vernal equinox time. Tens of herbal medicines as Zenggufeng, Sougufeng, and etc. are stewed together with the pettitoes, black beans, and etc. Such kind of soup looks black, but tasted really nice with rich nutrition.

Actually, this soup is easily to be cooked. Firstly, preparing tens of herbal medicines and cutting them to be about one inch long for each once they are dry; Second, boiling the herbal medicines for about 8 hours under high heat(it is better to add the water just covering the medicines you need); third, pouring out the medicine soup and adding some more waters to the medicine waste to boil for about 4 hours again; fourth, mixing the two medicine soups and adding pettitoes, pork, chicken, eggs which are shell off, black bean, and some other herbal medicines to boil under gentle heat for about one day. Once all the meats are boiled rotten, it is ok to eat. One bowl every morning and night, it is really nice!