A type of poplar tree that grows in Dunhuang, locally called the "phoenix tree." A type of edible tree sap alkaline flows from the tree. When making noodles, an appropriate amount of this tree sap alkaline is added to the dough. The resulting noodles are known for being chewy and resilient, refreshing and easy on the stomach, with a slender shape, even thickness, and delicious broth. Commonly referred to as "alkaline noodles," these are traditionally made for occasions such as elderly birthdays, …
According to the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes manuscript P.2040, during the Tang and Five Dynasties periods, it was called “water pancake.” The dough is “scalded,” then rolled thin, sprinkled with fragrant bean powder, brushed with oil, and baked until cooked. As a result, it has a slightly sweet and aromatic flavor, and is crispy yet soft and delicious. Different from using warm water to make the dough, it is thus called “Scalded Dough Oil Pancake.”…
It is said to be made with water from the Crescent Lake in Dunhuang and a fermented juice derived from a wild herb called yangnaimanman. It tastes delicious, refreshing, and cooling, and has a unique flavor when served with noodles—hence the name “Moon Spring Fermented Noodle Soup.” The “Dunhuang Manuscripts P.3231 Volume” from the official records of Pingkang Township includes mentions of “fermented noodle soup” and “fermented noodle porridge.”…
Camels are known as the "ships of the desert," and camel’s hooves have long been regarded as a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, historically ranked alongside bear’s paw. The dish Snow Mountain Camel’s Hoof is an innovative creation from Dunhuang. All ingredients are sourced locally, and the elegant name is complemented by a "snow mountain" presentation that highlights the scenery of China’s northwest. Simple yet refined, with a balanced composition, the dish is pleasing to the eye and delightful to the palate. It is not only a renowned local specialty but also a work of culinary art, beloved by diners.
Crispy Fried Lamb Leg is derived from a Xinjiang-style dish. It uses tender lamb from Dunhuang, known for its mild gaminess, and is prepared through a relatively complex process of marinating, steaming, and frying. The dish features a golden-brown color, with a crispy exterior and tender interior, offering a deliciously savory and rich flavor that is oily yet not greasy. Lamb helps to invigorate qi, nourish deficiency, warm the middle and lower body, tonify kidney yang, build muscle strength, …
“Eat fowl above and fish below.” The delicacy of fowl has always been a highly sought-after dish among customers. Wild goose meat is sweet in nature and is known to benefit the spleen and lungs, dispel wind and relax tendons, strengthen bones and muscles, enhance yang energy, and nourish internal organs. Goose fat also helps to invigorate blood circulation, dispel wind, clear heat, and detoxify, earning it the title of “king of meats.” As for braised wild goose in soy sauce...
Apocynum venetum shoes for health: Dunhuang Apocynum venetum shoes originated in the Han Dynasty or even earlier. These shoes are exquisitely crafted, attractive, economical, fashionable, and affordable — a traditional folk handicraft with a history of thousands of years. Apocynum venetum is a herbaceous plant, and its stem bark fibers are used to make ropes and cloth, which are then woven into shoes. Not only do they offer health benefits and foot care, but they are also affordably priced…
Dunhuang Flavor Grassland Lamb: Heading south from Dunhuang, the elevation rises into the grasslands north of the Qilian Mountains, including the Subei Grassland and the Aksay Grassland. Where there are grasslands, there are fat and tender cattle, sheep, and horses, and among them, the most famous is grassland lamb. In Dunhuang, there is roasted lamb, which includes whole roasted lamb, lamb ribs, lamb head, lamb leg, lamb...
Beef fillet refers to the tenderloin of beef, a delicious ingredient. It is named "pebble beef fillet" because it is cooked using pebbles from the Gobi Desert riverbeds. This dish is a unique specialty of Dunhuang. As Dunhuang is located deep inland, shielded by high mountains and far from moist maritime air, it has an extremely arid continental climate. The uniqueness of cooking meat with pebbles lies in...
In this Garlic Roasted Pumpkin dish, the pumpkin remains intact after cooking—not only does the skin hold its shape, but the flesh also retains moisture without becoming wrinkled or dry, resulting in an excellent texture. Cooking method: Roasted. Flavor profile: Sweet and savory. Main ingredient: Pumpkin 600g. Side ingredients: Scallion 10g, ginger 5g, garlic 20g. Seasonings: Salt 5g, monosodium glutamate 3g, chicken essence 3g, salad oil 7…
Camel hooves have a long history of being used in soups. Historical records indicate that the creator of camel hoof soup was Cao Zhi, the Prince of Chen during the Jin Dynasty, and it was known as “Seven-Treasure Soup,” with one bowl (ōu) worth a thousand pieces of gold. The Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu wrote, “Urge the guest to taste the camel hoof soup, frosty oranges atop fragrant tangerines.” Camel hoof soup is an authentic Tang Dynasty dish, once a delicacy enjoyed by Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei at the Huaqing Palace on Lishan Mountain...
Cynomorium is a perennial fleshy parasitic herb that grows in the desert and Gobi of Dunhuang. According to *Compendium of Materia Medica*, cynomorium is warm in nature, nourishes kidneys, benefits the heart, strengthens yin and yang, moistens dryness, and nourishes essence. Commonly known as the "fountain of youth medicine," it has long been honored as the "ginseng of the desert." "Stewed Pork Ribs with Cynomorium" ingeniously combines these two ingredients to create a soup that is rich in flavor, mellow in taste, and the meat...
"Desert Sand Chicken" is a popular innovative dish in recent years. It gets its name because the surface of the cooked chicken looks as if it's coated with a layer of sandy dust. Cooking method: Fried. Flavor profile: Salty, savory, slightly spicy. Main ingredient: One approximately 3.5-pound free-range chicken. Side ingredients: Garlic paste, breadcrumbs, green and red bell pepper minced. Seasonings: Salt, monosodium glutamate…
Hand-pulled lamb is a traditional dish beloved by ethnic groups in northwest China such as the Mongolian, Tibetan, Hui, and Uyghur peoples. Legend has it that this dish has a history of nearly a thousand years and earned its name because it was originally eaten by hand. Dunhuang hand-pulled lamb is made from castrated sheep raised on the local Gobi grasslands. The meat is lean, tender, easy to digest, and free of any strong gamy odor. It is rich in protein...
“Yangguan Live Fish” is a local signature dish from Dunhuang, made using rainbow trout (or grass carp) farmed in the natural lake of Nanhu beneath the ancient Yangguan city. The fish meat is tender and delicious, rich in amino acids and trace elements essential for the human body, making it both a tasty and nutritious dish. Cooking method: steamed. Flavor profile: salty...
Dunhuang’s Three Treasures Lie Beneath the Snow: Also known as the Crescent Lake Three Treasures, many refer to Dunhuang’s health-promoting herbs — Apocynum pictum, Cynomorium songaricum, and Cistanche deserticola — as the Dunhuang Three Treasures. Cynomorium songaricum grows in autumn and winter, typically sprouting in late autumn and emerging from the ground in early winter. Its optimal growth temperature is around minus 20 degrees Celsius, and it grows in areas that are not covered by snow, making it relatively easy to find. Cistanche deserticola: The main growing season for Cistanche deserticola is winter and spring, usually emerging from the ground in April. It has relatively low requirements for temperature and moisture, and it contains no chlorophyll, relying mainly on lateral roots for nutrients. The primary benefits of Cynomorium songaricum include enhancing male vitality, nourishing kidneys, beautifying the skin, and offering certain anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Therefore, it is especially suitable for women to consume, though attention should be paid to these factors when eating it. Women can definitely eat it regularly. The main function of Cistanche deserticola is to nourish kidneys and enhance male vitality, but it is less effective in delaying aging. While it strengthens the body, it does not have anti-inflammatory properties.
In the rural areas of Zhangye, after the autumn harvest, every household sun-dries starch skin and wheat gluten to welcome relatives and friends. During festivals, holidays, or celebratory occasions, starch skin and wheat gluten are indispensable as temporary hospitality foods. New mothers also receive a basket of starch skin and wheat gluten from their parents' home when they are in confinement. The tradition of sun-drying starch skin and wheat gluten in the countryside is still popular today. The famous starch skin and wheat gluten of Zhangye include “Ma’s Wheat Gluten,” which is sold by the bucketful at the stall every morning and sells out in less than two hours. Because of its fame, besides regular customers, many people also come specifically because of its reputation.
Ganzhou Soap is a long-renowned and province-famous specialty of Zhangye. It is made by mashing the fat from cattle, pigs, and sheep into suet oil, then grinding it together with soap pods, potassium carbonate stone, and rock sugar, followed by boiling with flour and water. This kind of soap is a traditional product that takes care of health, skin, and beauty all at once. The soap has a dark color and comes in oval shapes as well as rectangular ones…
Five-Color Sand Therapy Has a Thousand-Year History: Sand therapy is a unique health practice in Dunhuang. The annual Five-Color Sand Therapy Festival in July and August is the perfect time for locals to sunbathe their waists and legs. During this period, people of all ages brave the strong sunlight to come to the scorching hot sand, burying their bodies in the warm sand to eliminate dampness, drive out cold, and treat rheumatism and arthritis in the waist and legs. At this time, the sand...
Dried Flatbread Soaked in Melon or Naan: Dunhuang has a dry climate, which is ideal for making dried beef and mutton, dried flatbread, and dried honeydew melons. Dried flatbread keeps well and makes a crunchy sound when chewed, like a dry sponge that absorbs water easily. It is usually soaked in water or melon before eating. Soaking dried flatbread in watermelon is a common summer substitute for a main meal in Dunhuang. Typically…