Lao Beijing Baodu (Poached Tripe With Mung Bean Noodles)
Cloaked in a creamy sesame sauce and showered with herbs and roasted peanuts, this classic dish is a favorite of Beijing’s Muslim Hui community.
- Serves
4
- Time
50 minutes
Poached tripe with mung bean noodles and a variety of toppings is a staple dish of Beijing’s Muslim Hui population. Its essential seasonings—fermented red bean curd, chile oil, oyster sauce, and chive paste—and fresh and crunchy garnishes may be adjusted to individual taste. Beef tripe is available cleaned and pre-shredded at many Asian grocery stores, usually in the freezer section. If using frozen, thaw thoroughly and rinse well before using.
Chive paste, sometimes labeled “leek flower sauce,” is made by fermenting garlic and chive blossoms, and is commonly used in hot pot dipping sauces. Store the garlicky, umami paste in an airtight container in the fridge to make it last longer and help contain its pungent aroma. Fermented red bean curd is derived from red yeast rice, an ingredient in char siu, or Cantonese barbecued pork. A little goes a long way—the brine itself can be used for flavoring and color, and the cubes of tofu can be mashed with their liquid to make an ultra-savory paste. These can be purchased from Asian grocery stores or online.
Featured in “Between the Walls” by Megan Zhang in the Fall/Winter 2025 issue. See more recipes and stories from Issue 205.
Ingredients
- 4–5 oz. mung bean vermicelli noodles
- 1½ cups toasted sesame paste
- ½ tsp. Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 star anise pods
- 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ cup fermented red bean curd, mashed with a fork
- ¼ cup chile oil
- ¼ cup chive paste
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 10 napa cabbage leaves, thick ends trimmed, cut into quarters
- 1 lb. cleaned and shredded beef tripe
- Finely chopped cilantro leaves, roasted peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
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- In a large bowl, soak the noodles in room-temperature water until they separate and soften slightly, 5–10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- To a medium bowl, add the sesame paste. In a small pot, bring ½ cup of water to a boil, add the Sichuan peppercorns and star anise, then remove from the heat. Set aside for 5 minutes, then gradually pour the spice-infused water through a fine-mesh strainer into the sesame paste, whisking to combine. Discard the spices.
- Divide the sesame paste liquid among four large soup bowls. To each bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the sugar and ½ teaspoon of the cumin, followed by 1 tablespoon each of the mashed red bean curd, chile oil, chive paste, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the softened noodles and boil until transparent and cooked through, 2–3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a colander to drain.
- Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook until pale green and just tender, 3–4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to the colander to drain.
- Add the tripe to the boiling water, cover, remove from the heat, and set aside to poach until it turns tender and opaque, 6–8 minutes. Drain the tripe and divide evenly among the soup bowls, followed by the reserved noodles and cabbage.
- Top each bowl with cilantro, peanuts, and sesame seeds and serve immediately.
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