I knew you'd open this topic!
Several years ago, in a failed attempt to gross me out, on my birthday, some English friends here in China presented me with a Tupperware-type box of uncooked water buffalo cow's vaginal labia. Thanks guys. They are not generally available in markets and I've never seen them in supermarkets, that I know of, Those friends, now long gone, had to recruit an interpretor to specially order them.
Later that day, I passed them on to a friend's mother who was delighted and rushed off to the kitchen to fry them up.
What is regularly available are these:
Euphemistically described at Ox Treasures (牛宝 niú bǎo), they are the testicles of ox calves. Available in all my local supermarkets. I understand that such delights are also available in the USA and Canada as "prairie oysters", "mountain oysters" etc.
Alongside the testicles, where they belong, are these:
Again we get a euphemism. Ox whip (牛鞭 niú biān) is, of course, the same creature's penis. Often used in soups. It is considered to be a sort of natural Viagra and so an aid to virility. Chinese medical thinking is sometimes ridiculously literal. Penis not functioning? Eat some penis!
Here is part of the menu for a local 5-star hotel restaurant.
It's rather an old picture. The soup probably costs at least double that now. I haven't been in a while.
Pig pizzle is also sometimes available in markets, but most highly prized is deer dick. Surprising given that they seldom eat venison. There are even people selling fake, dried deer appendages. There is at least one penis restaurant in Beijing. I've never been.
I have eaten "cow cod soup" in Jamaica, though. Ridiculous name. Cows don't have "cods", another name for penises. (Think codpiece.)
Anyway, we also get rooster testicles. I've only ever seen them in markets. Never in supermarkets. Never eaten them.
Anyway, all good nose-to-tail stuff!
I'd be interested to know if you have any favourite genitalia recipes. Have you eaten any? Would you if offered?
