Some say that the Mongolian fried rice is China's earliest convenience food. Whether it’s truly the “earliest” is not certain, but the topics it leads to are quite interesting. In Mongolian, fried rice is called “hursenbuda,” and it is one of the staple foods commonly eaten by herders on the grassland. Mongolians can’t go a day without tea, nor can they go a day without fried rice. When guests visit...
Xilinhot mushrooms are the foremost local specialty of the Xilingol Grassland and one of its mountain delicacies — a wild product highly acclaimed on the grasslands. Belonging to the natural edible fungi of the Basidiomycota division and the genus Agaricus, these mushrooms were historically mostly harvested from Inner Mongolia’s grasslands and processed in Zhangjiakou, known as the “Frontier City Beyond the Great Wall,” before being sold elsewhere. As a result, the grassland mushrooms have long been referred to as “Koumo”...
The vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia boast lush pastures and robust cattle and sheep. The Mongolian herders living here have a long-standing tradition of air-drying beef jerky. Tracing back the history of beef jerky, as early as the Mongol Empire, Mongolian cavalry shared an inseparable bond with it. They drank horse milk daily and slaughtered cattle and sheep for food. As long as there was water and pasture to sustain their horses and livestock, the Mongols…
Mare's milk wine, also known as fermented mare's milk, is called "qige" in Mongolian and is the favorite beverage of herders. It is a treasured drink during various gatherings and celebrations among the Mongolian people. When the grass is lush and mares give birth to foals, the milking of mares and fermentation to make "qige" begins. When autumn arrives and vegetation dries up, foals are herded together and milking stops. Therefore, …
Sheep offal stew enjoys great fame in Hohhot and is a beloved, affordable, and delicious local specialty, just like Beijing’s quick-boiled tripe, Nanjing’s salted duck, Guangzhou’s stir-fried rice noodles, or Shaanxi’s pita bread soaked in lamb soup. It is most skillfully prepared by the local Hui ethnic community, who maintain an especially authentic method. Authentic sheep offal stew emphasizes color…
Milk tofu — known as SuunHuruud in Mongolian — is primarily made from cow's milk. Fresh milk is filtered through coarse gauze and poured into a wooden barrel or clay pot, then left to sit in a cool place for several days until it naturally coagulates. After removing the cream (known as zhehei) that rises to the top, the curdled milk is poured into a pot and gently simmered over low heat...
Among the traditional foods of the Mongolian people, hand-pulled mutton is the most distinctive and representative. The method of preparing hand-pulled mutton involves “cutting the heart”—severing the artery in the sheep’s chest cavity—then skinning the sheep, removing the internal organs, and cutting the whole lamb into several sections which are placed in a pot. Once the water boils, a small amount of salt and green onions are added, but no other seasonings. The meat is cooked until the blood drains out. When eating...
Whole roasted lamb is the most esteemed dish in Mongolian cuisine. As recorded in *Research on Daur-Mongolians*: “There is no dish more supreme than Uza (i.e., whole roasted lamb).” In Mongolian, it is called “Zhao Mu.” Historical records show that it was one of Genghis Khan’s favorite imperial delicacies and an indispensable part of the “Zama Feast,” the grand court banquet of the Yuan Dynasty...
Chahar Lamb is a specialty of Xilin Gol League in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The production area of Chahar Lamb covers the entire territories of Xianghuang Banner, Zhengxiangbai Banner, Zhenglan Banner, Taibus Banner, and Duolun County in Xilin Gol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.…
are a favorite food among grassland herders. Instead of using fermented dough for the wrappers, Mongolian steamed dumplings are made with wheat flour mixed with hot water—known as scalded dough. There are several types of fillings. One is all-lamb filling, where the entire sheep is chopped without separating the cuts, and only seasonings such as scallions and ginger are added. Dumplings or steamed buns made with this filling are considered the most authentic Mongolian steamed dumplings. Some also include small additions like milk tofu or wild vegetables such as wild leeks. Others use beef for the filling, or ingredients like blood sausage, cow stomach, or even pickled sour cabbage. The characteristics of Mongolian steamed dumplings are: generous filling, thin wrappers, and a deliciously fragrant taste.
Dried meat: Includes beef, mutton, and various other types of dried meat. This is a traditional way of eating formed by the characteristics of the pastoral and hunting economy. In pastoral areas, livestock are weak and thin during winter and spring, making them unsuitable for slaughter. Herders typically slaughter large numbers of meat animals around the time of the Sacrificial Festival, between Minor Snow and Major Snow. This serves two purposes: first, to reduce the number of livestock and ensure the survival of breeding females through the winter; second, to guarantee the best quality of beef and mutton. In the past, the large number of slaughtered animals could only be stored in the natural cold storage provided by the freezing winter. They couldn’t be preserved into spring. Therefore, herders would dry some of the meat to eat later. For hunters, due to the seasonal nature of hunting and the unpredictable availability of game, they often dried excess meat for future use.
Taipusiqi is a developing modern town. Grassland Liquor Industry is the pillar industry of the entire banner, with a brewing history of over 300 years, fixed assets exceeding 20 million yuan, and an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons. In the past, Grassland Baijiu was known as “the drink that knocks out a Mongolian donkey.” Now, Grassland King Baijiu offers a rich variety, with more than…
As the saying goes, “In the south there is Shouguang, in the north there is Baochang.” Taibus Banner is also known as the “Hometown of Green Celery,” the “No. 1 Vegetable Banner in Northern Beijing,” and an important vegetable base for Beijing. After years of development and effort, Taibus Banner’s vegetables have been registered under the national trademark “Gongbao,” and the region has been recognized by the autonomous region as a pesticide-free vegetable planting…
The product is made from pollution-free potatoes selected from Duanquan, using the latest closed-loop continuous production process. It features pure texture, authentic taste, and tender white color. Since its launch, the product has been well received by consumers. In addition to strong sales in the local area and neighboring banners and counties within the league, it is also exported to Shanxi, Hebei, Tianjin, and other regions. “Hui…” brand...
Harmonica: Also known as kouxian or kouhuang, the harmonica is an iron-plucked idiophone. In Mongolian, it is called "temür hur." Mongolians have a long-standing tradition of playing this instrument, particularly among women. Since the Ming Dynasty, the kouxian has played an increasingly prominent role in Mongolian music and was even incorporated into court orchestras. In addition to the instruments mentioned above...
Qobuz: In the writings of Ming Dynasty literati, qobuz was variously transliterated as hupo chui, huboci, huposi’er, and the like. Among the Mongols during the Yuan and Ming dynasties, from khans and ministers to ordinary warriors, everyone could play the qobuz while singing and dancing. In the 14th year of the Zhengtong era, “Every time Esen slaughtered a horse to hold a feast, he would first offer wine to the former emperor (Emperor Yingzong of Ming)...
Yatog: also known as the Mongolian zither. The Mongolian zither is largely similar in structure and playing technique to the guzheng commonly found in Central China, but the music played on the zither popular in Inner Mongolia consists exclusively of Mongolian folk songs and instrumental pieces.…
The grasslands are home to a large quantity of wild leeks. When autumn arrives, these flowers are harvested and ground into a paste to make delicious wild leek flower paste. This paste is an essential condiment for Xilinhot herders when enjoying boiled lamb, hand-grabbed mutton, or blood sausage. It can also be used as an ingredient to prepare a variety of tasty dishes with eggs and meats. Wild leek flower paste has a pungent and sweet taste, and a warm nature…
Harahai is also known as nettle. It belongs to the Urticaceae family and is a perennial wild herbaceous plant. It sprouts in spring and withers in winter, bearing abundant fruit in autumn. Typically growing 50–150 cm tall, its stem is upright, the whole plant is light green, either single-stemmed or with a few branches, has four edges, and is densely covered with stinging hairs that cause intense pain upon contact. The stems and leaves of Harahai are rich in protein, various…
A special non-metallic mineral resource, namely a medicinal stone related to diet. The Medical Stone resembles a cluster of spots, either yellow or white, much like wheat grains. Li Shizhen, a renowned physician of the Ming Dynasty in China, recorded in his Compendium of Materia Medica: “It looks like a handful of steamed wheat, with particles resembling beans or rice, in yellow and white colors.” The Medical Stone has a sweet and warm scent, is non-toxic, and is primarily…