Weird Chinese Food › Daring Dishes
Snake Soup
蛇羹 · shé gēng
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A thick Cantonese winter soup of shredded snake meat. Its history, how it is made, what it tastes like, and why Hong Kong's snake shops are disappearing.
On this page: What is snake soup? · Where in China is it eaten? · How it is made and eaten · What does it taste like? · History and culture · Is it safe? Who should avoid it? · Where to try it in China · How to order it · How much does it cost? · Video · FAQ · Sources
What is snake soup?
Snake soup is a Cantonese delicacy, popular in Hong Kong, made with the meat of at least two kinds of snake.[1] It is a thick, almost transparent soup rather than a clear broth.[1]
Where in China is it eaten?
An ancient Chinese text records people in Guangdong eating it, and today it is a popular delicacy in Hong Kong.[1] In Hong Kong it is sold in autumn and winter in specialist shops called "Snake King" (蛇王), mostly in Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City.[1]
How it is made and eaten
- The meat of at least two kinds of snake is shredded into thin threads.[1]
- It is cooked with chicken, pork bone, lean meat, fish maw, fungus, ginger, lemon leaves and other spices.[1]
- The mixture is stewed for more than six hours and seasoned with salt, pepper and dark soy sauce.[1]
- A thickener such as corn starch or water caltrop paste gives it its thick texture.[1]
- It is served topped with very finely shredded lemon leaves and chrysanthemum petals. Many people also add pepper, vinegar and crisp fried dough wafers.[1]
What does it taste like?
The soup tastes slightly sweet from chrysanthemum and spices.[1] The snake meat is often compared to chicken.[1] Compared with fish, snake meat is richer and chewier.[1] CNN's Ramy Inocencio wrote that it "tastes like chicken too – though a tad tougher."[1]
History and culture
Snake soup has been considered a delicacy in China for over two thousand years.[1] The pre-Qin text Shanhaijing records people in Guangdong eating it.[1] It became widely popular at the end of the Qing dynasty and was seen as a high-status dish.[1] Hong Kong's snake soup trade peaked in the 1980s, with over 100 eateries.[1] Rising costs and a lack of successors have since reduced the number of specialist shops to about 20.[1] Traditional Chinese medicine regards it as a "warming" food, but those claims are traditional beliefs.[1]
Is it safe? Who should avoid it?
The snakes used include venomous species such as the Chinese cobra and banded krait, but the soup is made from cooked, shredded meat.[1] Eat it only at established shops.
Where to try it in China
Hong Kong's Snake King shops in Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City, in autumn and winter.[1]
How to order it
Snake soup is shé gēng (蛇羹). In Cantonese it is pronounced se4 gang1.
来一碗蛇羹。
Lái yì wǎn shé gēng.
One bowl of snake soup, please.
How much does it cost?
Wikipedia cites about HK$60 per bowl in Hong Kong (undated figure; check current prices).[1] We have not verified a current price.
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FAQ
What does snake soup taste like?
Slightly sweet, with shredded meat often compared to chicken, only chewier.
Where can I eat snake soup?
Mainly at Hong Kong's specialist Snake King shops, in autumn and winter.
How old is snake soup?
It has been a Chinese delicacy for over two thousand years, with early records in Guangdong.
What snakes are used?
At least two kinds. Water snakes and pythons are popular, and venomous species such as the Chinese cobra are also used.
Why are snake soup shops closing?
High rent, food price inflation, and difficulty finding successors.
Sources
Numbers like [1] in the text point to these sources. "[our video]" means we saw it in our own Aqiang Eats China footage.
- Wikipedia: Snake soup
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_soup