Explainer | Why snake soup, the Hong Kong winter food that featured on a Pizza Hut pizza, has traditionally been eaten – and why it’s becoming harder to find
- Misunderstood by many, snake soup is rich in protein and vitamins, and has health benefits thought to include preventing cancer and improving sleep
- Hong Kong snake restaurant Ser Wong Fun’s owner explains the intricacies of a good snake soup, while another expert reveals how Covid-19 damaged the industry
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Snakes on a plate: world’s first snake soup pizza put to the taste test
The climate crisis has made each Hong Kong winter shorter and warmer than the last, but the long-awaited cooler season is finally here and, according to Chinese old wives’ tales, there is no better time to indulge in a bowl of snake soup.
For those unfamiliar with the complexity of Chinese cuisine, it can be an intimidating Cantonese delicacy. But when prepared properly, it doesn’t look, smell or taste out of the ordinary.
Among Jiang’s recipes, the best-known is the five-snake soup, noted for its traditional Chinese medicinal benefits of dispelling “dampness” in the body as well as increasing blood circulation.
The star ingredients are the five species of snakes – both venomous and non-venomous; but Jiang’s recipe also includes chicken, abalone, fish maw, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms and wood ear (black ear) fungus.