Down with Douzhi’er: My Experience With Beijing's Strangest Breakfast

I discovered 豆汁儿 dòuzhī'er with the help of – of all things – a Plastered 8 t-shirt. The shirt in question depicts a giant anthropomorphic bowl of the stuff towering over the CBD, lurching menacingly towards terrified onlookers.

Curious about why this big bowl of stuff was causing such a fright, I dialed up Wikipedia and read this:

Douzhi… is a fermented dish from Beijing cuisine… made from mung beans. It is a by-product of cellophane noodle production. It is generally slightly sour, with an egg-like smell.

As far as I could tell, a slightly sour and eggs-smelling breakfast didn't seem like something to warrant its rendition as a giant running amok and terrorizing innocents.

Delving further, though, through China travel guides and forums, I began to realize why. Virtually everyone had it out for the stuff, saying the smell and the taste – which some equate to rotten blue cheese – is enough to warrant this dish being avoided at all costs.

Naturally, I was hesitant to try douzhi'er. Curiosity got the best of me though, and one morning I found myself tucking into a bowl of the grayish, viscous liquid. First whiff and I was underwhelmed. I remember it as smelling like warmed chicken broth with a slightly sour tinge. I put a spoonful in my mouth, and immediately thought "Hey, this isn't all that bad."

It came accompanied by pickles and two round fritter – like things called 焦圈 jiāo quān, which is like the familiar youtiao but crunchier. My final verdict was and still is, the stuff isn't as bad as I first imagined, but I wouldn’t eat it all the time.

Food with Benefits

Douzhi'er has a written history of around 300 years. Legend has it the stuff was created entirely by accident, as it was once treated as waste. Following its discovery though, it spread like wildfire throughout Beijing, becoming so popular that, by the Qing Dynasty, the imperial kitchen was making douzhi'er for the emperor.

But it's not all about Beijingers having similar taste buds. It's also about health. Traditional Chinese medicine doctors today still prescribe douzhi'er to deal with body heat and detoxification, thanks to its being made with mung beans, regarded for their detox properties.

In recent years, the food has even earned a number of official seals. Beijing's Time-honored Brands Association named douzhi'er a top traditional snack, and it was named a city-level intangible cultural heritage in 2007.

How to Eat It

Douzhi'er is typically consumed as a breakfast item, and I can see why: love it or hate it, the lively flavor can really wake you up, making it the ideal first meal of the day. A bowl will generally set you back RMB 1.50 to 2, with pickles included, but you'll need to pay extra for the two jiaoquan.

On my first go around, I ate it with a spoon, but it's recommended to just take the bowl and drink up. As for how to consume everything else, eat each piece separately. One source I found recommended sprinkling chili oil on the jiaoquan, which in hindsight sounds like a good move, as they're on the bland side.

Grab Yourself a Bowl

Locals will tell you when it comes to trying douzhi'er, the third times the charm, so you'll more than likely find me at one of these three places slurping up a bowl to see if this rings true:

1. Yin San Douzhi 尹三豆汁

Hours: Daily, 5:30 AM-12:00 PM

Address: 176 Dongxiaoshi Jie, Dongcheng District

东城区东晓街176号

2. Ciqikou Old Douzhi 磁器口老豆汁

Hours: 6:00 AM-8:00 PM

Address: 23 Jinsong Nan Lu, Chaoyang District

朝阳区劲松南路23号

3. Huguosi Snacks 护国寺小吃

Hours: 6:00 AM-8:30 PM

Address: 214 Dongsi Bei Dajie, Dongcheng District

东城区东四北大街214号

READ: Stop Starch Shaming and Embrace These Savory Chinese Pastries

Images: Uni You, Plastered 8, Vincent Harvey, Dianping