In recent years, relying on its unique resource advantages, Jingyuan County has adhered to market orientation, technology leadership, and innovation-driven development. It has tackled bottlenecks, expanded scale, improved quality, built platforms, and established and improved investment mechanisms as well as reward-in-lieu-of-subsidy incentive mechanisms. The county has continuously refined its breeding system for high-quality livestock, forage planting, processing, and modulation systems, technical service...
Main ingredients for beef offal soup: beef tendons, beef tripe, beef brisket, beef shank, beef bones. Seasonings: soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, MSG, cinnamon, star anise, shredded old ginger, scallion segments, etc.; Method: 1. First, cut the beef bones into large chunks and blanch them. Slice the beef brisket, beef tripe, beef shank, etc. into even pieces and blanch them for later use; 2. In a clean pot, add water along with the beef bones, beef...
In Xining, you can find yogurt for sale in just about any supermarket, and it’s not pure white in color. You’ll also see elderly ladies by the roadside selling homemade versions. It’s only after you’ve tried it that you realize yogurt can taste like this. Qinghai yogurt is different from the yogurt found inland—here, it’s so thick you need a spoon to eat it, topped with a thick layer of cream skin…
Mandarin Duck-style Lotus Egg with Hair Moss is a specialty dish from Xining, Qinghai. Chicken breast is minced into a paste and seasoned with ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices. A thin layer of the chicken paste is spread on soft egg crepes, followed by a layer of hair moss. The mixture is then rolled into a cylinder, steamed, sliced, placed in a bowl, and poured over with a flavored broth before being steamed for another five minutes. The dish is then inverted onto a plate and topped with the sauce. It is characterized by its elegant color palette, …
An ancient poem reads: “Even if the sea were to dry up beyond remedy, and elixirs refined nine times over be of no avail, nothing compares to the jewel atop the spotted dragon’s head, which can replenish the vital points beneath the jade hall.” The “jewel atop the spotted dragon’s head” mentioned in the poem refers to deer antler. Deer antler is one of Qinghai Province’s traditional export commodities and is also counted among the Eight Treasures of Qinghai-Tibet. The main varieties include blood-covered red deer antler and blood-covered sika deer antler…
There are four ways to make hand-pulled noodles in Qinghai: The first is long noodles, where the dough is rolled out and cut into long strips, then mixed with minced meat sauce called “sao mian.” Serving this type of noodle to guests symbolizes “longevity and lasting friendship” and “continued visits.” The second is cold noodles, where the dough is rolled out and cut into thin strips, boiled, mixed with green oil, and served cold. The third is flag-flower noodles, also called cun cun zi,…
Nomadic herders move with the water and grass throughout the year. Adapted to this way of life, they have developed a variety of uniquely flavored snacks. These snacks are not found at street stalls nor served in upscale restaurants—you can only enjoy their distinctive tastes by experiencing them firsthand. There is a rich assortment of these snacks, prepared using unconventional methods…
Pulu (a transliteration from Tibetan) refers to clothing material or garments handwoven by Tibetan people using high-quality wool. Fine, soft, and tightly woven, pulu offers warmth, water resistance, durability, and cold-weather resilience. It is a premium ethnic specialty item beloved not only by Tibetans but also widely worn by Mongolians and Tu people. (Xining)…
Many travelers are deeply impressed by a unique type of grilled meat in Xining called "肋巴" (Kebab). This is a flavorful skewer made by first parboiling lamb ribs, then brushing them with sauce and grilling them over charcoal. This cooking method is actually Turkish kebab, and the word "Kebab" itself even originates from the Turkish language…
Qinghai’s colored pottery boasts a long history. Excavated artifacts reveal over 500 ancient cultural sites from the Neolithic Age and later periods, scattered across the Huangshui River Valley in eastern Qinghai to the Qaidam Basin in the west. Among these, the Neolithic types include the Majiayao, Banshan, and Machang styles, while the Chalcolithic period features the Qijia culture. …
Also known as the northern Chinese lilac. It is the city flower of Xining. Belonging to the Oleaceae family, it is a deciduous shrub or small tree. Typically growing to a height of 3 to 5 meters, older specimens can reach over 10 meters. In Qinghai, it is commonly called "lunbai," and because it blooms twice a year, it is also referred to as "second blooming plum." The plant exhibits strong adaptability on the Qinghai Plateau and has a long history of cultivation. Its flowers form large inflorescences, bloom for an extended period, and possess an elegant posture...
The wool from Tibetan sheep in Qinghai is white in color, coarse in texture, and boasts strong elasticity and a glossy sheen. Textiles woven from this Xining wool are soft, warm, and significantly superior to woolen products from other regions. As a result, they have been highly favored by people of all ethnicities and foreign merchants since ancient times. …
Hand-pulled lamb is said to have a history of nearly a thousand years and was originally named for being eaten by hand. There are three ways to enjoy it: hot (sliced, steamed, and served with a dip of mixed oil), cold (sliced and dipped directly in refined salt), or pan-fried (cooked on a flat pan and eaten as it’s being fried). It is known for its delicious taste, not greasy or gamey, with appealing color and aroma. From midsummer to early…
Tendon of sheep's trotter, also known as sheep tendon, is the ligament from the lower part of a sheep’s leg. During the slaughtering season, it is carefully removed, straightened, air-dried, and then bundled into small portions for long-term storage without spoilage. The tendons are categorized into front tendons (from the forelegs) and rear tendons (from the hind legs). Rear tendons are longer than front tendons and are considered to be of higher quality. Sheep tendon is a collagen-rich tissue, comparable in value and taste to sea cucumber and shark fin...
Jiaotuan is a rare delicacy for many longtime residents of Xining, but making it is a skillful task. First, boil water in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, hold the flour in one hand and a rolling pin in the other, then evenly pour a pre-mixed combination of highland barley flour and bean flour into the boiling water while continuously stirring with the rolling pin. Why use a…
A snack with distinctive local characteristics in Qinghai, especially Xining Niangpi, which differs from niangpi in other regions — known for its rich oiliness, bold red spiciness, and tangy aroma. The golden, translucent niangpi is smooth and tender, while the bright red, shiny seasoning is sour, spicy, and richly flavorful. It can serve as a staple to satisfy hunger or as a dish, doubling as a cold appetizer to accompany drinks. Suitable for both hot and cold servings, it can be enjoyed all year round. It is…
Seaweed Horn is a type of seaweed that grows between sea cliffs, about three to four inches long. It is called "Seaweed Horn" because of its shape resembling deer antlers, and it has an extremely smooth and delicious taste. This purple-yellow seaweed is rich in gelatin. If soaked in water for a long time or in boiling water, it will turn gelatinous. The common way to eat Seaweed Horn is usually by pickling it...
Stir-fried noodles with slices are made by stir-frying diced or sliced meat, chili peppers, bamboo shoots, zucchini, and other vegetables—or cellophane noodles and wood ear mushrooms—in a wok while the noodles are cooking in the pot. Once the noodles are done, they are scooped out with a strainer and added to the stir-fried vegetables, then quickly tossed together before serving. …
Dog-Peeing, also known as Dog-Peeing Oil Pancake, is a popular type of flatbread in Qinghai. It is a thin pancake fried in rapeseed oil. There are two types: one made with a bit of yeast dough (semi-leavened) and another without any yeast (unleavened). The white flour pancake is brushed with seasonings such as ground fennel leaves (known as xiangdou), Sichuan pepper powder, and salt. During cooking, oil is poured in a circular motion from a spouted oil pot onto the pancake...
Thanks to meticulous preparation and expert cooking, the lamb offal stew tastes incredibly delicious. Especially the flour lung and sheep intestines, which have a remarkably rich flavor. The method for making the flour lung involves repeatedly rinsing the sheep lung in clean water dozens of times until its pink color turns white. Then, the sheep’s small intestine is fitted over the lung’s trachea and sewn up with thread…