The Dipping Sauce for Sour Soup Fish

Dipping sauces vary dramatically across China, especially for hotpot-style meals, where every family—and often every individual—has their own preferred combination. In Guizhou, the dipping sauce served with sour soup fish is distinctly local, with small variations depending on what can be found in the surrounding mountains.

Alongside the usual ingredients of spring onions, fresh chilies, charred chili powder, coriander, and garlic, locals often add zhe’ergen (Houttuynia cordata) and seasonal wild herbs, many of which are traditionally valued for their medicinal properties. As a result, no two bowls are exactly alike, with each combination adding a different layer of aroma and flavor to the sour soup.