洛阳喝汤的习俗（丸子汤、韩城羊肉汤）

申报地区：老城区、宜阳县 2014年12月 第4批

中国美食历代相承，“老汤”之说由来已久。洛阳地处盆地，气候干燥但是域内河流密布，人们便经常喝汤以取暖、去燥、润肠润肺。汤水最有营养，容易消化吸收。“早上豆腐汤，晚上丸子汤”这句洛阳人的口头禅点出了洛阳人的饮食习惯。洛阳的汤和开封的包子、郑州的烩面齐名，位列河南名小吃。洛阳汤类众多，丸子汤便是其中重要的一种。

“丸子汤”起源于清朝末年，是由大户人家里的伙夫发明的。他们用做菜剩下的下脚料，例如豆芽、绿豆面、剔骨肉等原材料炸成丸子，再配以高汤，吃起来酸辣爽口，简单方便，渐渐成为穷苦百姓的专用。

丸子汤是荤素搭配，汤里的丸子只有绿豆面一种。每天早上将新鲜干净的黄豆芽准备好，然后用刀剁碎，装在盆子里，加上适量的食盐，再加入绿豆面搅拌均匀，面醒好之后，用手把面挤成大小均匀的丸子，随挤随放入油锅中，等丸子炸成金黄色方可捞出。将炸好的豆腐片切成细丝，这便是丸子汤的配菜之一。汤内还有血、剔骨肉、韭菜、韭黄等配菜。汤是选用上好的猪大骨，再配以张家祖传秘方，熬制十几个小时后方可上桌。

洛阳羊肉汤是洛阳民间的著名小吃，也是最地道的豫西民俗之一。羊肉具有独特的膻味，主要是因为脂肪中含有石碳酸的成分，去掉脂肪之后，羊肉便不会再有膻味。汤里煮羊肉极有讲究，羊肉都是现杀现煮，大块入水，确保鲜度。在容量超过1000毫升的大碗里抓上一两左右的大片羊肉注入飞滚的沸汤，香气扑鼻。

喝汤，已经成为洛阳人挥之不去的习惯。洛阳人偶尔出差一两个礼拜，心中最大的愿望，莫过于能早点赶回来喝一碗热气腾腾的汤了。在涧西、西工，很多人大清早开车去瀍河的东花坛、孟津的铁谢，来回一个多小时，为的就是能喝上一碗正宗地道的丸子汤、羊肉汤，日复一日，乐此不疲。

People in Luoyang often drink soup to keep warm, remove dry heat and moisten the intestines and lungs. Soup is the most nutritious and easy to digest. The phrase"Tofu soup in the morning, meat or vegetable ball soup in the evening" points out dietary habits of Luoyang people. According to Zhang Zhili, general manager of " Luoyang soup drinkers", meat or vegetable soup originated in he late Qing Dynasty(1936-1912)and was invented by chefs from wealthy families. They used leftovers from cooking, such as bean sprouts, mung bean noodles, boning meat, and other raw materials, fried into balls, and then served with broth, which tastes spicy and refreshing, simple and convenient and has gradually become a popular diet for the poor.

Lamb soup features the high quality in the broth, nutrient-rich in the content, and delicious but not fishy and in the taste. The ingredients from the soup include the first-class lamb tallow and chili, which combined will produce a unique deep-fried pepper cake, emitting fragrance of pepper and unforgettable aftertaste. While having the soup, dinners should abide by the principle of "Three-aspected Beauties", which refers to lean meat, thin pancake and original soup. Drinking soup has become a lingering habit in Luoyang people. Luoyang people occasionally travel for a week or two, and their greatest wish is to be able to come back soon and drink a bowl of soup.