Fuqi Fei Pian (夫妻肺片) — Husband and Wife Beef Slices
Fuqi fei pian (夫妻肺片, literally 'husband and wife lung slices' — despite the name, no lung is used in modern versions) is one of the most famous Sichuan cold dishes: thin slices of beef and beef offal — typically shank, tripe, tendon, and tongue — dressed in a complex sauce of chilli oil, Sichuan peppercorn, sesame paste, soy sauce, and aromatics. The name refers to the Chengdu husband-and-wife street vendors Guo Zhaohua and Zhang Tianzheng who in the 1930s sold offal dishes from baskets on a shoulder pole. The dish exemplifies the Sichuan tradition of transforming cheap, collagen-rich offal cuts into a sophisticated, flavour-complex cold preparation.
The cooking method: Each offal component is cooked separately to the correct doneness: beef shank — simmered in a spiced master stock (卤水 lu shui) for 1.5-2 hours until tender but not falling apart. Tripe — blanched in boiling water first to remove strong flavours, then simmered in the master stock for 45-60 minutes until tender and slightly chewy. Tendon — the longest cook, 3-4 hours of simmering until collagen-soft but not dissolved. All components are cooled completely before slicing. Slicing: Each component is sliced thin (2-3mm) against the grain, displaying the different textures side by side on the platter. The dressing sauce: 3 tbsp chilli oil (with its sediment), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Chinkiang vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn (ground fresh), 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp roasted peanuts (roughly chopped). Pour over the sliced meat. Garnish with celery leaves and sesame seeds.
Overcooking the tripe: Tripe has a specific texture window — properly cooked it has a pleasant chew with a slight resistance; overcooked it becomes mushy. Under-dressing: The sauce should be generous — the components need to be well-coated for the flavour to come through in every bite.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty (2001); Fuchsia Dunlop, The Food of Sichuan (2019)
Common Questions
What are common mistakes when making Fuqi Fei Pian (夫妻肺片) — Husband and Wife Beef Slices?
Overcooking the tripe: Tripe has a specific texture window — properly cooked it has a pleasant chew with a slight resistance; overcooked it becomes mushy. Under-dressing: The sauce should be generous — the components need to be well-coated for the flavour to come through in every bite.