The Gannan Plateau, located in southern Gansu, features a high-altitude, cold, and humid climate with lush vegetation and abundant rare flora and fauna, which serve as key food sources for the local people. The Tibetan people of Gannan use locally available ingredients such as caterpillar fungus, mushrooms, gypsophila, and Tibetan snowcocks to prepare dishes like “Caterpillar Fungus Stewed Snowcock,” “Mushroom Stewed Lamb…”
The Gannan-type Tibetan sheep is an ancient coarse-wool breed from the high-cold pastoral areas of Gansu Province. Developed through long-term selective breeding by local herders under the unique natural ecological conditions of Ganjia Township in Xiahe County, this breed has adapted to the high-altitude, cold environment. Due to the harsh climate and year-round extensive grazing management, the sheep have developed robust physiques, strong limbs, alert temperaments, and a remarkable tolerance to severe cold...
Lin Tang Hua Niu Apples are a specialty of Lin Tang County in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. The apples feature a bright red color, distinct five ridges, thin and crisp skin, and are richly fragrant and sweet. Hua Niu Apples are a variety of the McIntosh series, branded under the name of Hua Niu Village in Beidao District, Tianshui City. They are abundantly produced in the Wei River basin. These apples boast a bright red hue, well-defined five ridges, thin...
Lintan Monkey Head Mushroom is a specialty of Lintan County in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. The Lintan monkey head mushroom is an exceptionally delicious mountain delicacy, with tender flesh and a rich, savory flavor, often referred to as the “meat among vegetables.” The monkey head mushroom belongs to the fungi kingdom and is named for its resemblance to a monkey’s head. Monkey Head Mushroom (scientific name: Hericium erinaceus…
Making lamb rafts is an extremely meticulous process. Fresh whole lamb is used, starting with the large intestine, which undergoes multiple hand-cleaning steps until thoroughly washed and ready for use. The heart, liver, kidney, and selected cuts of meat are finely chopped into a filling, mixed with finely sliced scallion whites, minced ginger, fine salt, and pepper, blended well, and carefully stuffed into the intestines. The steamed meat-filled sausages are then cut into segments about one inch long…
"Offal" refers to the boiled heads, hearts, lungs, intestines, stomachs, and hooves of cattle and sheep, commonly known as "variety meats." It is divided into two types: either "beef variety meats" or "beef offal soup," and "mutton variety meats" or "mutton offal soup." Offal soup is a soup made from these parts—after boiling the variety meats, seasonings such as spices and hawthorn are added, and the mixture is simmered over low heat until the intestines and stomachs become tender...
Sanzi is one of the distinctive delicacies beloved by ethnic minorities who follow Islam. During Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, every household’s dining table features a plate of golden, multi-layered, cylindrical fried dough twists. There’s a saying: “Pastries are fragrant, mooncakes are nostalgic, but Hui-style sanzi is both beautiful and delicious—sweet and crispy, the sanzi of the Hui people.” Sanzi is a traditional food among the Hui people…
Cold noodles are a very famous snack, white in color, crystal clear, tender, smooth, and delicious. There are generally two ways to eat cold noodles: one is served cold mixed with seasonings, and the other is pan-fried. First, prepare the starch base (you can use either soybean or potato flour, but potato starch is best), take out a certain amount of starch and pour it into a pot, then pour in six times the amount of cold water...
is a specialty snack of the Hui people in Lintan. Commonly known as oil cake, it is a traditional food of the Hui community. During Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and the Prophet’s Birthday, every household fries oil fragrance cakes. Besides eating them at home, they are also given as gifts to relatives, friends, and neighbors. Some families also fry oil fragrance cakes during festivals to honor the deceased or to mark joyous and sorrowful occasions such as weddings and funerals...
Pickled Vegetable (Potato) Stuffed Dumplings are made using high-quality potatoes (steamed) as the main ingredient. First, premium potatoes are selected, boiled, peeled, and mashed. Salt, monosodium glutamate, Sichuan peppercorns, and sesame oil are added, along with chopped scallions and fresh beef, to create a well-mixed filling. This is then combined with top-quality “bitter root” pickled vegetables. The dumpling wrappers are made from local wheat flour from Lintan (sometimes mixed with a small amount of highland barley flour), and the filling is wrapped inside. The dumplings are then boiled in hot water, and once cooked, seasoned with aromatic vinegar and a dash of chili oil. The delicious and tasty Pickled Vegetable (Potato) Stuffed Dumplings are now ready.
With a long history, Gansu carved lacquer is made from locally sourced natural raw lacquer. It employs ancient craftsmanship combined with modern scientific research to refine and produce the final product. The lacquer features rich, deep black hues, a delicate texture, and a smooth, jade-like gloss, embodying the natural beauty of simplicity and authenticity. The decorative patterns of Gansu carved lacquer include figures, landscapes, birds, beasts, cultural relics, and even...
This product is oval or egg-shaped, large in size, with an attractive appearance. The shell surface is smooth, with an average single fruit weight of 17 grams—about 30 per jin (500g). The kernel is plump and full, light-colored and shiny, sweet in taste without any astringency. The inner hull is degenerated, making it easiest to obtain the whole kernel, with a kernel yield rate of over 50%. The oil content of the seed kernel is 75%, making it a high-yield variety.…
Red Astragalus: Also known as Honglan Astragalus, it is produced in Gansu Province and is the root of Hedysarum polybotrys. It has a relatively high yield and was first cultivated in Guangming Township, Wudu County. The roots are long, straight, dense in texture, rich in starch, and sweet in taste. Red Astragalus is a type of Astragalus, which is a perennial herbaceous leguminous plant. Longnan Red Astragalus is mainly centered around the areas of Anhua in Wudu District and Jiangtai in Dangchang County...
Trogopterus Dung promotes blood circulation to remove blood stasis and, when charred, helps stop bleeding. It is used for pain due to blood stasis in the heart and abdomen, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea due to blood stasis, postpartum abdominal pain caused by blood stasis; charred, it treats metrorrhagia and metrostaxis; externally applied for injuries from falls, fractures, sprains, and bites from snakes or insects. Trogopterus Dung is bitter, purgative, warming, and unblocking, “dredging the qi and blood vessels,” and “where there is free flow, there is no pain.” Hence, *The Commentary on Materia Medica* describes it as “for stagnant blood in the vessels, where qi fails to circulate…”
Liangdang County apples — Apples are a type of fruit that grow on trees and often produce multiple flushes of blossoms and fruit. They are highly nutritious and offer therapeutic and supportive health benefits. Known in ancient times as 柰 (nài) or 滔婆 (tāo pó), apples have a sweet and tart flavor and are rich in nutrients, making them a suitable fruit for both young and old. With their high nutritional and medicinal value, they are increasingly referred to as the “doctor’s first choice…”
The Heicuo Caterpillar Fungus Yakrat Pig is carefully selected from wild yakrat pigs that roam the high-altitude grasslands of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture at elevations above 3,200 meters. These pigs have long foraged in the wild, digging up and feeding on precious local wild herbs such as yakrat, fritillaria, and caterpillar fungus that grow underground. They are raised without any feed, and due to the harsh, cold environment, their growth period exceeds 12 months…
Liangdang Langya Honey is a specialty of Liangdang County in Gansu Province. Named after its floral source — the langya thorn bush — this honey is primarily produced in Liangdang and Huixian counties in Gansu. Fig. 1 Liangdang Langya Honey. It is considered a premium grade among honeys and one of the specialties of Gansu. With a rich fragrance, clear color, moderate sugar content, fine crystals, it serves as an excellent tonic and health supplement, as well as for medicinal purposes...
Shapo Township: The clay pots produced here...
Anyone who has visited Longnan in Gansu will rave about its local snacks. Especially in Wudu County, Longnan, if you follow the enticing aroma into the snack street, you’ll be greeted by a dazzling array of affordable yet delicious treats with rich flavors that are sure to make your mouth water. Among these many snacks, the potato mash cake...
In Wudu, "cold noodles" generally refer to a variety of popular breakfast snacks sold in morning markets, such as flour sheets, rice sheets, cold noodles, potato mash, and oil-flour tea. Though Wudu is not a large city, its people are among the most urban-minded in Gansu, embracing a lifestyle that values spending and enjoyment. Locals rarely make breakfast at home; instead, they flock to street stalls and markets throughout the year to enjoy these treats...