Urumqi Lamb is typically made from castrated lambs or those under one year old. The preparation involves slaughtering the lamb, removing its skin and internal organs, cleaning it, and then boiling it in a large pot with seasonings such as onions and pepper. There are two methods for cooking the meat: one is to start by boiling it in cold water, and the other is to begin with boiling water. Regardless of the method used, it is essential to…
Premium Hami Jujubes Hami has been cultivating jujubes for two thousand years. During the Qing Dynasty, they were offered as tribute to the imperial court. Renowned both domestically and internationally, Hami jujubes are celebrated for their large size, thin skin, small pits, thick flesh, attractive color, high sugar content, and ability to stay plump and unwrinkled when dried. These jujubes can be eaten fresh, boiled, or used in dishes such as jujube paste or jujube soup. They are especially delicious when served in eight-treasure rice or cooked in porridge.
Xinjiang premium raisins. Raisins are the dried fruit of grapes, either sun-dried or shade-dried. Only ripe grapes can be used to make raisins. The moisture content in raisins is only 15–25%, while their fructose content can be as high as 60%. As a result, they are very sweet. Therefore, raisins can be preserved for a long time, and over time...
Colorful Brocade is a specialty of Urumqi. Colored cotton is a new type of cotton cultivated using modern high technology. It boasts natural colors right when it blooms in the fields—subtle, elegant tones that are entirely natural. During the textile manufacturing process, there is no need for chemical bleaching, dyeing, or boiling processes, which means it causes no pollution to the environment. It is skin-friendly and beneficial to health, truly earning its reputation as...
Urumqi is located in central Xinjiang, situated at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains and the southern edge of the Junggar Basin. To the east, it borders Turpan City along the line from Qiamaketag to Daheyan; to the west, it is bounded by the Toutun River, which separates it from Changji City; to the south, it connects with the Nanshan Mining Area via Kalatag–Kizil Yi; and to the north, it is delineated by the Bogda Mountain Ridge, sharing boundaries with Jimusar County, Fukang City, and Mi…
A type of noodle dish made from hand-pulled noodles served with stir-fried vegetables. It is popular due to its affordability. Among the Uyghur and Hui ethnic groups, there are skilled noodle pullers who can produce one to two kilograms of noodles in a single stretch—enough to feed over ten people. These noodles are called “bazi noodles,” known for their even thickness, balanced texture, and exceptionally smooth and...
Xishan Farm, under the 12th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, is located 25 kilometers south of Urumqi in the Tianshan Mountains' northern foothills on the alluvial fan slope plain of the upper reaches of the Urumqi River. In its early years after establishment in 1959, the farm mainly grew grain crops, with potato production limited to meeting the needs of its own workers. 19…
The Uyghur name for baked stuffed buns is “Samusa.” These buns are baked in a tandoor oven. The dough, made without yeast, is rolled very thin to form square-shaped buns. The filling consists of minced lamb, pieces of sheep tail fat, onions, cumin powder, pepper, and salt, all mixed together. The prepared buns are stuck to the inner wall of the tandoor and are ready in just over ten minutes. Baked samusas…
Known in Uyghur as "doppa," it is one of the essential items for the Uyghur people. It is exquisitely crafted, using traditional ethnic embroidery techniques such as cross-stitching, gold and silver inlaying, and bead stringing, all done by hand. Kashgar offers a wide variety of floral caps, including almond blossom caps, Qiman (green base with white flowers) caps, Tashkent (green base with white flowers) caps...
Urumqi Hand-Pulled Lamb
Urumqi Lamb Skewers: Thin slices of lamb and lamb fat are cut and alternated on thin iron skewers, then grilled on a long skewer grill. After grilling, sprinkle with chili powder, fine salt, and cumin powder, and they’re ready in just a few minutes. …
Pilaf, known as "polo" in Uyghur, is made with ingredients such as rice, lamb, carrots, onions, and vegetable oil. There are many variations of pilaf; besides using lamb, people also make it with beef, horse meat, chicken, goose, snowcock, pheasant, and other meats. In addition, dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, and dried peach peels are used...
The Uyghur people commonly refer to roast meat as "Kawap." Depending on the cooking method, it has various specific names. For example, "Tunur Kawap" means tandoor-roasted meat, which refers to the celebrated whole roasted lamb; "Zhihe Kawap" refers to skewered roast meat; "Kazan Kawap" means "pot-roasted meat," actually referring to stir-fried roast meat; "…
Colored cotton is a new type of cotton cultivated using modern high technology. It possesses natural colors right when the fibers are picked in the field, featuring simple and elegant hues that are completely natural. During textile processing, it requires no chemical bleaching, dyeing, or refining, causing no pollution to the environment. It is skin-friendly and beneficial to health, truly earning the title of the "second skin" of humans. It is recognized worldwide as a pure natural, "zero-pollution" green ecological textile and has become the "darling" of the 21st-century textile market.
Miyuan City was established in 1997 when Miyuan County was restructured from a county into a city. The county was originally named Qiande County and was renamed Miyuan County in February 1954. Miyuan has a long history of rice cultivation. According to the *Annals of Miyuan County*, rice farming in the region can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, but it was not widely developed until the Qing Dynasty. In the 34th year of the Qianlong reign (17…
Urumqi’s Naan The cuisine in Urumqi is incredibly diverse. You’ll find Sichuan, Cantonese, and other major Chinese culinary styles everywhere, along with a rich collection of ethnic dishes and local snacks—Uyghur, Mongolian, Hui Muslim halal cuisines—that will make every visitor’s mouth water. The food scene in Urumqi is truly one of a kind…
Autumn is the perfect season for nourishing the body. There’s a saying among locals that “one pigeon is worth nine chickens,” which speaks volumes about the high nutritional value of pigeons. So when I heard that the pigeon dishes at Miyuan Farmhouse were amazing, I couldn’t wait to head there over the weekend. The Miyuan Farmhouse is about 28 kilometers from downtown Urumqi. After sleeping in on the weekend, we drove there leisurely, arriving just in time for lunch...
Laghman noodles are made from high-quality flour, kneaded and stretched into round, strip-like shapes—hence the name. Among local snacks, laghman noodles are especially beloved by people of all ethnicities. They are soft, round, slender, smooth, and refreshing, offering a uniquely delicious taste. The key to making great laghman noodles lies in mastering two steps: kneading the dough and stretching it. When kneading, salted water is used—the amount of salt must be just right—and the dough should be...
In ancient times, the Queen Mother of the West held a grand Peach Banquet at Yaochi, inviting all the immortals. When the Seventh Fairy picked peaches to attend the feast, she passed by the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and accidentally dropped a string of golden pearl necklaces. The following spring, the fallen pearls miraculously took root, blossomed, bore fruit, and grew into large, plump beans. These were named "Dadou" (big beans). Since then, the diligent people of various ethnic groups began cultivating these beans...
Urumqi Roast Lamb Pockets (known as "samsa" in Uyghur) and thin-skinned steamed buns (called "pitalman tu" in Uyghur) are beloved foods among the Uyghur people. Restaurants and food stalls in both urban and rural bazaars commonly sell these two items. Roast lamb pockets are primarily baked in a tandoor (clay oven). The dough for the pockets is made with unleavened flour, rolled thin, and then folded into a square shape on all four sides. The filling consists of minced lamb...