Ingredients for Small Pot Braised Noodles: 150g green beans, 250g fresh noodles, 5 cloves of garlic, 1 scallion, 30ml light soy sauce, 8g sugar, 8g salt, 20ml sesame oil. Method: 1. Wash the green beans, remove the stems from both ends, then break them into 4–5cm long segments. Flatten the garlic cloves and roughly chop them, slice the scallion...
Step 1: Making the Dough – Place oat flour in a basin, add an equal volume of lukewarm boiled water, and stir evenly with chopsticks. After ten minutes, knead it into a dough. Step 2: Rolling the Dough – Divide the dough into several equally sized pieces. Take one piece, roll it into a uniform stick on the kneading board, flatten it with the palm of your hand, then …
Jinjiang Beef – The Qingzhen (Muslim) five-spice beef from Jiang County boasts a long history and was once honored as a tribute to the imperial court. In recent years, Shanxi Jinjiang County Food Co., Ltd., committed to promoting national culinary culture and preserving traditional ethnic specialties, expanded upon the former Qingzhen meat products workshop in Jiang County, becoming the largest Qingzhen meat processing enterprise in southern Shanxi. It has established an integrated production line covering procurement, slaughtering, processing, high-temperature sterilization, and sales, producing over 500 tons of premium beef annually with an output value of 15 million yuan and generating a profit tax of 1.8 million yuan. Besides the "Jinjiang" brand five-spice beef, the company also offers a series of Qingzhen meat products such as beef jerky, spicy tripe strips, boneless braised chicken, five-spice venison, along with other related items.
Ji County apples. Ji County apples are known for their late ripening, superior quality, delicious taste, and excellent storability. They have a great texture—crisp skin with juicy flesh. It’s really a treat to have one when you have a spare moment. …
Hawthorn from Jiang County: Found throughout Shanxi Province, but most abundant in Jiang County. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, regulating qi, and removing blood stasis. It is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat women's ailments. It is mainly used to treat indigestion, dissolve phlegm, stop bleeding, detoxify, and also employed in treating hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Jiang County is known as China’s “No. 1 Hawthorn County,” and since 1987…
In southern Shanxi, locals refer to steamed buns as "馍" (mó), and alkali-free steamed buns are called "无碱馍" (wú jiǎn mó). The traditional method of making fermented steamed buns in southern Shanxi does not involve adding alkali to the dough. This practice has been passed down for thousands of years. Although no alkali is added to the fermented dough, the resulting buns are sweet, fragrant, and delicious...
Xizhang White Honey Apricots of Yuncheng are primarily produced in the areas of Wuma and Lijiafen in Xizhang. They have a history of over 2,000 years. These apricots are large and round, pale yellow with a translucent white hue and slightly tinged with red. They have thin skins, thick flesh, fine texture, abundant juice, low fiber content, and a sweet, mellow fragrance. They are also rich in fruit acids, fructose, protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and ascorbic acid…
Northxiang Lamb Flatbread Shreds, with a history of over a hundred years, are renowned for their distinctive taste. The dish is made by cutting baked thin wheat flour flatbread into shreds, then simmering them in a fresh lamb broth. Seasonings such as sesame oil, chopped scallions, and red chili powder are added. It has a refreshing taste, rich but not greasy, and is nourishing—making it a beloved local delicacy. It is said that the best versions are made by people from Northxiang Town in Yuncheng City... (Yuncheng)
Yuncheng Xiang Dates are mainly produced in the areas along the Sushui River in Beixiang Town, Hongzhiyi Town, and Xizhang Township of Yuncheng. Legend has it that they have been cultivated for over 70 years before the Common Era and were exclusively served to emperors throughout various dynasties, hence also known as tribute dates. It is said that a jar of Xiang Dates preserved by Zheng Tianxing’s great-grandfather in Qiaoyang Village remained perfectly intact even after being unsealed 170 years later. The Xiang Dates are large in size…
The main ingredients of blood tofu jerky are pig's blood and tofu, along with half-fat, half-lean pork, as well as scallions, ginger, garlic, and five-spice seasonings. When butchering the pig, prepare the tofu and seasonings in advance, then collect the fresh blood. Immediately mix the blood with the tofu and meat, finely knead everything together, add the seasonings, and stir until well combined. Shape the mixture into balls slightly larger than steamed buns, place them on a bamboo sieve to allow some of the moisture to evaporate, and then…
Bred in 22 counties across the southern Shanxi cities of Yuncheng and Linfen, with the central production areas centered in Xia County and Wenxi County. The breed is distributed throughout these central counties. According to 1983 statistics, there were 120,000 Southern Shanxi donkeys in the region, including 15,000 in the two central counties. The production area lies within the Yellow River basin, an ancient cultural hub of China, and is one of the regions where agriculture was developed early on in the country. Historical and cultural relics in Xia County suggest it is also the hometown of Yu the Great, a legendary ruler in ancient China. As Southern Shanxi and the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi are separated only by the Yellow River, after donkeys were introduced to Guanzhong during the Han Dynasty, they inevitably spread to this area via the river. With a long history of agricultural and pastoral development, along with the famous Yuncheng Salt Lake and numerous coal and small-scale mines, agricultural work as well as the transport of grain, cotton, coal, and salt historically relied on donkeys and mules for carrying loads. This economic demand encouraged farmers to carefully feed and selectively breed their working animals. A long-standing practice of showcasing the quality of breeding donkeys at temple fairs—used to attract potential mates for female donkeys—continued until the early 20th century. Locals hold donkeys in high regard, considering them indispensable livestock. Farmers in the region traditionally grow alfalfa and use a method of processing fresh alfalfa and wheat straw to ensure their animals have quality forage year-round. In terms of management, practices such as keeping stables clean, grooming donkeys daily, not whipping them when full, not feeding them hastily when hungry, not letting them drink too quickly when hot, not using pregnant donkeys to grind grain, and the principle of “feeding one-third and working two-thirds” all contributed to the healthy development and improved physique and structure of the donkeys. After 1949, the People’s Government established a breeding donkey farm in Xia County dedicated to the selection and breeding of Southern Shanxi donkeys. Multiple improvement stations were set up across various counties to carry out artificial insemination and breed superior male donkeys for mating with female donkeys in rural areas, further enhancing the breed’s quality and supplying large numbers of high-quality breeding stock to other regions.
The second steamed dish of Shanxi cuisine is Shanxi Crispy Pork. This is a traditional famous dish from Shanxi, made by cutting pork ribs into chunks and cooking them through multiple processes including boiling, deep-frying, and steaming. According to *Famous Foods and Their Anecdotes*, in the second year of the Yongle era, Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, appointed his third son Zhu Gaoxu as the Prince of Zhao. The palace maids, knowing that the prince had a fondness for grilled meat, selected high-quality pork...
Sijiao Black Fungus is a specialty of Sijiao Town, Xia County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. With a long history, Sijiao black fungus was offered as a tribute as early as the Tang and Song dynasties. It boasts high quality and rich nutritional value, with special functions such as lowering blood pressure and blood lipids. Sijiao Black Fungus is a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product. Sijiao Town is located in the...
Qijiahe Township: wood ear mushrooms, persimmon cakes…
Yuwang Township: Willow weaving…
Xi County Chestnuts: Primarily wild, they are known for their attractive appearance, glossy surface, low moisture content, easy peeling, high flour yield, delicate flesh, sweet and delicious taste, and high nutritional value. They are now extensively cultivated artificially.…
Ruicheng pickled vegetables are exquisitely made, featuring over 30 varieties. Pickled bamboo shoots, pickled mustard greens, pickled melon, and broad bean paste have been rated as high-quality provincial food products. They are characterized by their sweet and crisp texture, golden-red color, transparency, and glossy sheen—excelling in color, aroma, and taste. …
Rui Cheng is located in the southwest of Shanxi Province, along the Yellow River, in the hilly area of the Loess Plateau. The latitude, altitude, and climate of Rui Cheng County are highly suitable for apple tree cultivation, especially Fuji varieties. Apples grown here are large, brightly colored, with dense flesh and a well-balanced sweet-tart flavor. The same varieties planted elsewhere…
Fenxi Prickly Ash is produced in the mountainous areas of the central Zhongtiao Mountain range in the northern part of Fenglingdu Town, Fenxi County, making it the largest production base of "Dahongpao" prickly ash in China. Centered around the Zhongyao Prickly Ash Base, it is distributed across hilly areas in towns such as Zhongyao, Yangcheng, Duzhuang, Dawang, and Xuezhang, earning the reputation of the "Hometown of Prickly Ash." Fenxi Prickly Ash is renowned for its unique and premium quality...
Seedless Candied Jujubes are a specialty of Ximo Township in Ruicheng County. These candied jujubes are uniform in size, with a purple-red translucent color, tender texture, and a rich osmanthus fragrance. They taste sweet, crisp, and soft, making them delicious and enjoyable. The product is exported to eight countries and regions, including Japan, Southeast Asia, and Hong Kong. Ruicheng County is abundant in red jujubes, including varieties such as Tun Tun jujubes and round jujubes, which are large...