Paomo

Paomo is a cherished dish from Shaanxi cuisine, particularly famous in Xi'an. This comforting meal features a hearty stew made from crumbled steamed bread soaked in a rich lamb broth. Typically, it is served with tender pieces of lamb, although beef can also be used. The lamb version is known as "羊肉泡馍" (yángròu pàomó), while the beef version is referred to as "牛肉泡馍" (niúròu pàomó). To enhance its flavor, it is often accompanied by pickled garlic and chili sauce.

An interesting legend surrounds the origin of paomo, dating back to the late Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The story involves Zhao Kuangyin, who would later become the founding emperor of the Song dynasty. While on a journey, Zhao and his companions ran out of food and money, left with only two pieces of hard, nearly inedible bread. They stumbled upon a shop selling lamb soup and decided to break the bread into pieces, adding it to the soup. This improvised meal was a success. After ascending to the throne, Zhao Kuangyin revisited the shop and officially named the dish "lamb paomo" to honor its humble origins.