Xinjiang Food
Introduce
Xinjiang cuisine, which is featured in both characteristics of halal dishes and the mellow aromatic cooking characteristics of the northwestern Chinese cuisine. It is mainly cooked by vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, eggs, etc. As for the vegetable cooking, the seasoning is similar to other cuisines. The major difference actually lies in cooking of meet and eggs which is featured in its unique habits and particularity.
Cook Method
Xinjiang cuisine is mainly composed of halal dishes, which take beef and mutton as the main materials, and mainly adopt Stir frying, roasting, quick-boiling, stewing, braising, simmering, and steaming. Well known dishes include: roast whole lamb, saute spicy chicken, braised lamb chops with Nan-bread, and hand-grabbed mutton. Xinjiang cuisine is usually hot and sour.
Characteristics
Mankind will consume great body heat and energy in the long cold winter. And eating is the best way to store heat. The harsh natural environment affects the eating habits of Xinjiang people. They often serve dishes featured in a large amount, which is the basic characteristic of Xinjiang Cuisine.
Roasted Whole Lamb
This is a famous dish in Xinjiang Cuisine with a long history. It can be said comparable Beijing Roast Duck.
Hand Pilaf
It is one of the traditional staple foods of the Uygur people and could be cooked in sweet or salty taste. The hand pilaf is mainly cooked with rice, eggs, oil, raisins, apricots, peanuts and other dried fruits; the salty hand pilaf is mostly meat pilaf, cooked together with rice, mutton, carrots, onions and clear oil.
Hand-grabbed Mutton
It is named by the way of eating the boiled mutton with hands.
Shish Kebab
A snack popular around the country, attracting vast number of fans.
Nan-bread
One of the main flour foods that people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are fond of. It has already had two thousand years’ history.
Baked Buns
One of the famous snacks of Uygur ethnic group. And it is named like this because it’s actually a stuffed bun baked in a baking furnace.
Braised Mutton with Pancake
After stir frying the mutton, wrap the mutton together with onions, green peppers, and tomatoes by steamed pancake. It presents a unique attractive flavor and taste.
Etiquette
In Xinjiang, containing food by big dishes shows the basic respect to the guests. And eating up is also the best feedback to the hospitality.