Xiangyuan Red Soil Rice is a specialty of Xiangyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province. The rice is golden in color, pure and plump, sweet and delicious, rich in nutrition, suitable for both steaming and boiling. Its congee has a soft, sweet taste and a long-lasting aftertaste, while the cooked rice offers a unique flavor that is loved by all ages. It is a nutritious food choice for all seasons. Xiangyuan Red Soil Rice gets its name from the red soil area around Mapannao, the main battlefield of the Shangdang Campaign...
Qingming herb The Qingming herb is the tender sprout of the daisy family plant Gnaphalium affine D.Den., also known as mouse ear grass or field mugwort. It is harvested before the Qingming Festival. The tender stems and leaves of the Qingming herb contain 85 grams of water, 3.1 grams of protein, 0.6 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbohydrates, and 2.1… per 100 grams.
The “Half Dumpling” Crispy Wire Cake is a famous snack from Xiangyuan County, originally called “Crispy Wire Cake.” It has a golden color, is crispy and fragrant when dry, and leaves a lingering aftertaste with endless charm. It is made by mixing fermented dough starter with dry flour and alkali solution, kneading it evenly and thoroughly, then forming it into an oval-shaped cake dough. The dough is then cut in half, placed on a flat griddle, and baked over charcoal fire. Because it is half a...
Xiangyuan noodles originated during the Yuandade era and became famous in Shangdang during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. In the 1960s, they were selected for exhibition at the National Agricultural Exhibition. The production process is entirely handmade, making them convenient to eat. Their characteristics include fine strands, long boiling time, and a soft, palatable texture. Xiangyuan County’s handmade noodles are made from locally sourced high-quality wheat, with the addition of salt, alkali, and water, and go through a fully manual process of kneading,…
Heigetiáo is a type of noodle made by wrapping white dough with red dough or vice versa, or mixing them together to form a dough that is hand-rolled into large sheets, then cut into strips about 8 inches long and as wide as Chinese chive leaves or skirt edges, which are then boiled. It is a black-colored noodle dish popular in the Changzhi area. The noodles turn a dark reddish-black when cooked, hence the name “Heigetiáo” (literally “black strips”).…
(1) Disassemble the pork elbow (either the front or rear section), and cut along the leg bone until the meat is nearly separated from the bone, forming one large round piece. (2) Soak the pork elbow in cold water until the skin becomes very soft. Skewer it with a meat fork and place it over a smokeless, high flame to char the skin repeatedly until it turns black and scorched. Then...
Meat Broth Vegetarian Dumplings, also known as "Fishy Broth Vegetarian Dumplings," is a traditional snack from Xiangyuan County. It features a savory and aromatic meat broth and light, refreshing vegetarian dumplings, with meat slices that are rich but not greasy and vegetarian fillings that are subtle yet flavorful. Legend has it that during the Song Dynasty, a fortune-teller named Miao Guangyi helped Emperor Zhao Kuangyin unify the country. Unwilling to serve in court, he traveled far and wide across mountains and rivers. One day, while traveling through Xiang…
The Loess Egg is produced by inheriting traditional craftsmanship and applying modern science and technology. It uses locally sourced fresh chicken eggs, blended with traditional Chinese herbal medicines, and is boiled in earthenware jars, vacuum-packed, and sterilized at high temperatures. Its features include an intact eggshell, earth-yellow egg whites, a fragrant aroma, and higher nutritional value than regular chicken eggs. It can also help prevent discomfort from changes in water and soil, and …
Braised Sauce Stuffed Sausage. Shanxi-style stuffed sausage has its own distinctive features, emphasizing that the dough should be "glossy" on the outside and "chewy" inside, and is mostly made from buckwheat flour. Though the main ingredients are typically braised sauce, garlic juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame paste, the flavor varies from vendor to vendor due to differences in the preparation of the braised sauce, cooking temperature, and the type of chili sauce used. Many shops even use...
Xiangyuan Starch Pudding Starch pudding is a popular summer snack in the Xiangyuan, Wuxiang, and Qin counties area. It is made from buckwheat flour and, due to its dark brown color, is commonly referred to by locals as "black-skinned wheat dough ball." It is highly nutritious, with a sweet and mild taste, and has the health benefits of clearing heat and detoxifying. According to *Compendium of Materia Medica*, it “regulates qi and relaxes the intestines, grinds down food stagnation, clears heat swellings and wind pain, and removes...”
Xiangyuan Loess Egg is a specialty of Xiangyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province. These eggs feature intact shells, earth-yellow egg whites, and a fragrant aroma, making them an excellent choice for travel, home cooking, or as a gift for family and friends. The Xiangyuan Loess Egg is made from fresh local chicken eggs and a blend of traditional Chinese herbs (using a secret recipe), then processed through earthenware pot soaking, steaming, and vacuum…
Shangdang preserved donkey meat is a specialty of Shanxi's Shangdang region, originating during the Qianlong era. The product is made from fresh donkey meat, combined with over 20 kinds of Chinese herbs such as prickly ash, star anise, cloves, cinnamon twigs, and cinnamon bark. It is crafted using traditional methods, vacuum-packed, and sterilized under high pressure to ensure premium quality. …
Handwoven cloth, also known as traditional coarse cloth, is a type of handmade fabric used by working people for thousands of years. “That old loom is beautiful. The women weaving it are even more so. I want to bring Changzhi’s traditional craftsmanship to Ireland and hope to perform during the Spring Festival. I believe many people there will love it,” said Aier…
Crispy Fire Cake is one of the well-known snacks in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province. It is made from high-quality wheat flour and eggs, with dough kneaded using cooked donkey fat or lard, and then baked. The cake has a light, pure yellow color and a deliciously crispy and fragrant taste. It can be served as a staple food or as a snack. The Changzhi Crispy Fire Cake is made to the size of a dried persimmon using an oil-water dough wrapped around a donkey-fat flaky crust, …
Mutton soup is a traditional delicacy from Huguan County in Changzhi, Shanxi. Along with the mutton offal soup from the northern Yan-Tong area and the mutton soup with flatbread from the southern Yuncheng area, these three can be considered the three major styles of Shanxi’s mutton soups. Among them, Huguan mutton soup stands out as truly unique, boasting a distinctive flavor. There’s an art to drinking Huguan mutton soup—it’s all about timing. The soup is only made after sheep stop eating green grass...
Shanxi is one of China's major millet-producing regions, with yellow grains being the primary crop variety. Among Shanxi's millets, Qinxian County stands out, where the "Qinzhou Yellow" millet features large, golden-yellow grains with a rich, fragrant taste, earning it the reputation as a premium among millets. The cultivation of "Qinzhou Yellow"...
Changzhi Sanhe Noodles…
Changzi Large Green Pepper is a specialty of Zhangzi County in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province. Known for its large size, thick flesh, bright color, long shelf life, and easy transport, "Changzi Large Green Pepper" has won the favor of merchants and consumers alike. It enjoys the title of "The World’s Sweetest Pepper" and has become a renowned geographical indication product both at home and abroad. As a result, in 1998…
"Liangfen" is a summer snack made from mung bean starch. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* states that mung bean liangfen "clears heat and detoxifies, treats boils, abscesses, burns, bruises, and neutralizes various toxins from heat, medicine, alcohol, and food." The exact dynasty or time period when liangfen originated remains unverified. However, in Shanxi Province...
The “Stir-fried Noodles of Zhangzi” from Changzhi, Shanxi Province has a long history. As early as the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, it had spread to the provinces of Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan. It is characterized by its soft texture, pleasant taste, and fragrant yet not greasy flavor. It is not only a beloved dish among the people of Shangdang but also a local specialty that visitors come to Zhangzi to enjoy. In 1974, the Catering Service Department of the Southeast Shanxi Regional Commerce Bureau had included the “Stir-fried Noodles of Zhangzi” in the “Basic Knowledge of Cooking Techniques.” Its preparation methods and flavor characteristics have been featured in publications such as the Changzhi Daily, Taihang Daily, Shanxi Daily, China Food News, and the magazine Cooking Knowledge. In 1984, it won the first prize at the Southeast Shanxi Regional Famous Products and Specialties Exhibition. In April 1987, it was also included in the book “A Collection of Chinese Flavor Dishes and Snacks” by the Jinjiang (Group) Joint Operation Company of Shanghai and the Service Food Technology Research Center.