Stew · Simmered in chili broth

Mao Xue Wang (Duck Blood and Offal Hot Pot)

Photo: VenusL / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Despite its rich mix of ingredients, the dish is said to have started as leftovers — a way for slaughterhouse workers to use up duck blood and organ meat.

Duck blood curd, tripe, and other offal are simmered together in a fiery chili-and-peppercorn broth, often finished with bean sprouts and cilantro just before serving.

Why it's made this way: The dish grew out of Chongqing's dock and slaughterhouse districts, where workers turned inexpensive organ meats into a filling meal.