Drink · Fermented

Douzhir (Fermented Mung Bean Milk)

📷 Closely related photo — Photo via Pexels/Unsplash — free for commercial use

Even many Beijingers admit they had to acquire the taste — its sour, faintly funky flavor is one of the most polarizing foods in Chinese street food culture.

A thin, grayish-green drink made from the liquid byproduct of mung bean starch production, fermented and gently simmered, traditionally served warm with a crispy fried dough ring and pickled vegetable strips on the side. Sold from small breakfast stalls across the old city, drunk hot from a bowl.

Why it's made this way: The drink began as a byproduct of Beijing's mung bean noodle trade, and Qing-dynasty court records describe it being served to the imperial household — turning a cheap fermentation leftover into a genuine local delicacy.