Hand-grabbed lamb is a unique way Tibetan herders on the Qinghai Plateau enjoy lamb. It gets its name from the traditional method of eating: using one hand to hold a knife and cut the meat, while the other hand grabs and eats the meat directly. The cooking method is very simple—fresh lamb is boiled in water, then seasoned with salt or served with a side of salt for dipping. The cooked lamb remains tender yet firm, with a delicious, rich flavor. Originally a convenient meal for herders during nomadic life…
The Winter Pear of Qinghai is a variety within the white pear group. It earned the name "Winter Pear" because it is harvested and set aside to be eaten in winter, when its flavor becomes particularly sweet and delicious. This pear variety thrives neither in hot and humid climates nor in harsh, freezing cold conditions. The region centered around Minhe, where summers are not excessively hot and winters are relatively mild, has naturally become...
Tsampa is a staple food of the Tibetan people. The way tsampa is made is by drying and roasting highland barley (a type of barley that comes in white and purple-black varieties), then grinding it into a fine powder to make the edible tsampa. This is similar to fried flour in northern China, but whereas the flour in the north is ground before frying, Tibetan tsampa is roasted before grinding and the bran is not removed. Tibetans usually eat tsampa by first pouring a small amount of buttered tea into a bowl, adding some tsampa powder, and stirring it continuously with their hands until it can be formed into a ball. When eating, they keep kneading it in the bowl with their hands until it forms a lump called a "pa," which is then brought to the mouth to eat. There is also a way of preparing it as a thin porridge, mixed with meat, wild vegetables, and the like, called "thukpa." Tsampa is more nutritious than winter wheat and is also convenient to carry. When going out, one only needs to bring a wooden bowl, tie a "tanggu" (tsampa bag) around the waist, and have some tea ready—there’s no need to start a fire for cooking. (Delingha)
Goji berries (lycium barbarum) are plants of the Solanaceae family, mainly produced in Delingha, Golmud, Dulan, and Wulan in Haixi Prefecture. The berries cultivated on farms are of the highest quality, while wild and cultivated varieties can also be found in other prefectures and eastern agricultural areas. The annual yield is approximately nearly one hundred tons. The berries are harvested when ripe between August and September, then sun-dried...
Egg art is a decorative craftwork with artistic value. In Qinghai, these eggs are often crafted from discarded eggshells collected from the Bird Island in Qinghai Lake, meticulously painted with fine brushwork or colorful patterns. Every summer, dozens of species of migratory birds—numbering in the tens of thousands—such as bar-headed geese, brown...
Tao Yu is a new type of craftwork uniquely invented by Li Hongcang in Qinghai Province, made from a variety of ceramic materials through firing. This innovative technique breaks away from the traditional methods of ceramic production used by humans since ancient times and ushers in a new era of ceramic civilization. Its unique characteristic lies in its resemblance to both pottery and jade, with a surface hardness surpassing that of real jade. The artworks produced exhibit...
At Keluke Lake, 42 kilometers from Delingha City, one can see Bai Zunfu, a crab farmer from Hunan, busily shipping crabs to dealers. He says cheerfully, “This year, I’ve sold over 50 tons of Chinese mitten crabs, generating more than 2 million yuan in revenue. They’re being sold as far as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and other major cities, and my income has increased compared to last year…”
Delingha Specialty – Tsampa: Tsampa is a specialty of Haixi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. In fact, tsampa is the staple food for Tibetans at all three daily meals. It is a type of roasted flour made from highland barley, produced by roasting the barley grains, grinding them into fine powder, and not sifting or removing the bran, making it similar to the roasted flour found in northern China. Tibetans typically eat tsampa by first pouring a small amount of buttered tea into a bowl...
Kunlun Mountain Natural Snow Mountain Mineral Water within the jurisdiction of Golmud City, Qinghai Province, between 35°42′00″–36°42′00″ N latitude and 94°18′30″–94°20′30″ E longitude. "Golmud Municipal People's Government Request for Declaration of 'Kunlun Mountain Natural Snow Mountain Mineral Water' as a National Geographical Indication Product…"
Wash the fiddlehead ferns, steam them together with lotus seeds and coix seeds, then combine with green plums, Chinese hawthorn, walnut kernels, lotus seeds, coix seeds, raisins, cherries, etc. Bring to a boil and thicken with starch. This dish is fresh, sweet, and colorful, offering certain health benefits...
Dry-mixed is a type of hand-pulled noodle that is first boiled in water and then stir-fried with a rich mix of seasonings. Chili and vinegar can be added according to your personal taste, and it comes with a side bowl of clear beef soup. The flavor is unique and extremely refreshing. The portion of dry-mixed noodles is quite generous — if you’re still hungry, you can add a baked flatbread for just around 6 yuan in total, making it a great deal.
Grilled lamb by hand is a delicacy served to guests in pastoral areas and also one of the indispensable staple foods in daily life. Trying it for the first time may give you a sense of its primal simplicity, but after a few tastings, you’ll find yourself craving more, leaving a lasting impression. “Grilled by hand” is a uniquely flavorful way of eating in the Qinghai Plateau and enjoys a great reputation across China. Grilled lamb by hand...
Tanggula Yak is a specialty of Tanggula Mountain Town, Golmud City, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province. It is a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product. Known as the "boat of the snowy plateau," the Tanggula Yak has been inextricably linked to Tibetan culture and historical life since ancient times and is an important representation of both the spiritual and material culture of the Tibetan people...
Tanggula Tibetan Sheep is a specialty of Tanggula Mountain Town, Golmud City, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province. It is a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product. Also known as Tibetan sheep, with the English name Tibetan sheep, it is one of China's three major original sheep breeds. Primarily distributed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Qinghai is its main...
Kunlun Mountain Mineral Water is a specialty of Golmud City, Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. The water comes from Yuzhu Peak of the Kunlun Mountains in Qinghai, at an altitude of over 6,000 meters. It is a rare type of small-clustered water in the world, rich in elements such as strontium, potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium, with a weakly alkaline pH value that is beneficial to human health. It was the official designated drinking water for the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou and is also a partner of the Chinese National Tennis Team.
Golmud is a Mongolian term meaning "a place where rivers are densely distributed." The Golmud Mongolian sheep herded by the Mongolian people in Golmud is a branch of the Dongtaijinaier tribe from the Yuan Dynasty. Thanks to the region’s exceptionally rich natural grassland resources, the Golmud Mongolian sheep has become a highlight at Mongolian "Naadam" festivals, joyous celebrations, and Oboo worship ceremonies, often served as whole lamb banquets and hand-grabbed lamb, among other delicacies...
Qinghai is located in the heart of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at a high altitude, with a pleasant summer climate, long hours of sunshine, and fresh air—conditions that are particularly suitable for growing rapeseed. Therefore, from June to August each year, countless beekeepers head to the Hehuang Valley, along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, and around the shores of Qinghai Lake, placing numerous beehives amidst vast fields blanketed with yellow flowers. For a time, the sounds of cattle…
The main functions of deer penis: Also known as deer horn or deer whip, it refers to the external genitalia of a male deer, including the penis and testicles. Nationwide, the deer penis produced in Qilian, Qinghai is considered the highest quality. It can nourish kidney qi, invigorate kidney yang, enrich menstrual blood, and treat physical strain. It is primarily used to treat soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, deafness and tinnitus caused by kidney deficiency, erectile dysfunction, low libido in women, and cold uterus leading to infertility. …
The main functions of deer stomach: Deer stomach is the dried stomach collected from a deer. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory of "using organs to nourish corresponding organs," it is primarily used to treat spleen and stomach deficiency-cold conditions. Indications: Warms the stomach, regulates the middle energizer, dispels cold, and strengthens the stomach. Suitable for recurring stomach pain, cramping or spasmodic pain, possible diarrhea, aversion to cold with preference for warmth, pain relief with heat application, and persistent cases that do not heal easily…
Main benefits of deer blood: nourishes kidney and enhances yang energy, calms the nerves, strengthens the body. It has special therapeutic effects on impotence, premature ejaculation, reduced libido, neurasthenia, and decreased blood cell count.…