Sour soup from Guizhou makes a splash overseas

 

While its strange scent may put some off at first, its bright red hue hints at a thrilling taste adventure of sour and spicy flavor. Yet once you hold your nose and take a sip, you may find yourself craving a second and third bowl.

Kaili sour soup, a signature delicacy from Guizhou province, is increasingly tantalizing the taste buds of food lovers around the world.

As food blogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber Alkalthoom said in a video: "That acidity — one sip, an unforgettable taste. You'll want to come back for more."

Originating from the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in Guizhou, whose capital is Kaili, the soup reflects culinary wisdom passed down by local people for more than a thousand years.

The red soup is made through natural fermentation of local specialty maolaguo, a type of wild tomato, while the white version is fermented from rice. Blended with spices such as chili and litsea cubeba and aged slowly over time, it develops a rich, mellow sour aroma with a refreshing, slightly sweet aftertaste.