Mashed Potatoes (Yangyu Qiuzi) Potatoes, known as "yangyu" in Chinese, are a staple food for the people of Zhenyuan. Dubbed a "staple dish," they serve both as a vegetable and a main course. During times of famine and food scarcity, people relied on them to survive. The folk saying “To fill your belly, eat potatoes and bottle gourd” was popular back then. In Zhenyuan, there are many ways to prepare potatoes, one of which...
Cliff-Leaping Turtle is a simple, quick meal that farmers used to make during busy farming seasons. They would mix wheat flour or other types of coarse flour with water to form a thick paste, then use chopsticks to pick up chunks of the paste and drop them directly into boiling water to cook. These were served with simple greens, seasoned with salt, vinegar, and chili, and called either Cliff-Leaping Turtle or “Lump Rice.” This dish was easy, fast, and eaten with pickled vegetables...
In the rural areas of Huangjiu Jar Town, it was customary for local households to brew their own yellow wine for weddings, funerals, or festivals. Once the wine was fermented, the original mash was transferred into earthenware jars, then steeped in hot water like tea. A bamboo tube, lined with a sieve at the bottom (to separate the mash), was inserted into the jar for sipping. This method of drinking from the wine jar was especially popular in the rural villages of Nansanzhen, particularly during…
Fried oil cake is an everyday food commonly found across China, with little variation between regions. But making one that is crisp, sweet, delicious in color, thin-skinned, rich in flavor, and remains soft even when kept for a long time is no easy task. The long-renowned Zhenyuan Sweet Fried Oil Cake pays great attention to various steps in its preparation, including dough fermentation, ingredient mixing, frying, and coloring. First, the dough must be fermented to just the right firmness, and the kneading process requires…
Sago Balls originated as a distinctive delicacy served at traditional folk banquets. Made by combining high-quality glutinous rice flour with a suitable amount of starch to form small dough balls, they are filled with red bean paste, coated in sago pearls, and then steamed until cooked. They can be enjoyed either cold or hot, and taste even more delicious when drizzled with honey. Thanks to their sweet and delightful flavor, they have garnered widespread praise among food lovers…
Zhenyuan Roast Chicken is a specialty of Zhenyuan County, Qingyang City, Gansu Province. The dish is made by stewing plucked and cleaned chicken in a long-aged marinade broth, with the addition of various seasonings. The result is tender, flavorful chicken with an appetizing color, making it quite famous among Zhenyuan’s local snacks. Roast chicken involves stewing cleaned chicken in aged broth…
Apricot trees, belonging to the Rosaceae family of flowering and fruit-bearing plants, originated in northern China and thrive in mountainous areas, slopes, valleys, and hollows. They are drought-resistant and cold-hardy, easy to cultivate, and bear fruit early — as the saying goes, "peaches in three years, apricots in four," meaning they can bear fruit in just four years. Their prime fruit-bearing period can last 50 to 60 years, with some trees living over a century. In Zhenyuan’s loess soil, as far back as…
Hongxiaodou beans from Huachi – Nationally renowned, high-quality, and newly developed agricultural product…
HuaChi Potatoes are a specialty of HuaChi County in Qingyang City, Gansu Province. The annual potato yield in HuaChi County reaches 150,000 tons. The county has increased support and guidance, continuously improving processing techniques, turning the humble potato into a "golden egg" that boosts farmers' incomes. In 2011, over 60,000 mu of potatoes were planted across the county, increasing the per capita income of farmers by 200 yuan. ...
Qingyang millet has a long cultivation history. In the birthplace of Zhou ancestral farming culture and medical sage Qibo culture, archaeologists have recently discovered carbonized grains stored in cellars dating back 5,000 to 6,000 years in Aoliu and Xinbao villages of Ningxian County, proving that millet was planted here as early as the Neolithic Age. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, Qingyang was part of the Yongzhou region mentioned in the Yu Gong...
White melon seeds, which are the seeds of the zucchini, are a specialty product of Qingyang City. The seeds are rich in essential vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, organic acids, proteins, and fats that are vital to human health, serving as a source of energy. They contain cucurbitacin, which has been shown to have beneficial effects on the treatment of stomach cancer. When used medicinally, white melon seeds can help treat...
The black fungus specialty of Huachi is mainly produced in the secondary forests of the Ziwuling Mountains. Its yield varies with climate changes. Due to limited supply, natural black fungus has become highly valuable. Huachi's natural black fungus is rich in gelatinous texture, containing protein, lecithin, vitamins B1 and B2, as well as trace elements. It has medicinal properties such as stopping bleeding, moistening the lungs, and cleansing the gastrointestinal tract.…
Huachi’s specialty white melon seeds are renowned for their large size, thin shells, plumpness, whiteness, and high oil content. They are a delicious delicacy perfect for entertaining guests or giving as gifts to family and friends. These seeds are rich in various minerals, organic acids, vitamins, and cucurbitacin, which has anti-cancer properties. They help nourish the skin, stimulate appetite, relieve coughs, moisten the lungs, and promote bowel movements…
Name: Longdong Black Goats Origin: Huachi, Gansu, China Introduction: Features: They are of medium build, sturdy and compact, and good at climbing hills and slopes. Male goats stand over 60 cm tall, are about 60 cm in body length, have a chest circumference of around 62 cm, a cannon bone circumference of about 8 cm, and weigh about 50 kg; female…
“Longdong Daylily,” also known as daylily buds, refers to the local variety of daylilies produced in this region. These daylilies are thick-fleshed, large-sized, bright yellow in color, delicious in taste, and have a high sugar content, ranking first among similar products nationwide. With a long cultivation history, vast planting area, high yield, and strong market competitiveness, they are widely sold across China and have also entered the international market. The world-renowned “Longdong Daylily”…
As people's living standards continue to improve, their expectations for daily necessities are also growing. The Shaanxi specialty SuHui handwoven cloth, a type of coarse linen home textile, is gaining increasing popularity among consumers. Although most home textiles on the market are made of pure cotton, coarse linen home textiles are actually more practical compared to pure cotton ones. So what exactly is the difference between coarse linen home textiles and pure cotton home textiles...
The way people in northern Shaanxi make locust flower "millet rice" is slightly different from those in central Shaanxi. We usually pick the flowers from the clusters, wash them, blanch them in boiling water, squeeze out the moisture, then use a special "grater" to grate the potatoes into flat shreds. We put the potato shreds and locust flowers into a bowl, add an appropriate amount of flour, mix well, and steam for about 20...
Pea rice cake, pea filling!! That yellow part is made from pea flour!! With dates in the middle!! It’s soft, smooth, and cool to eat...
Though called "fish," it bears no resemblance to one, resembling more a tadpole. Many outsiders don’t know how it’s made. Some locals jokingly claim they craft each piece by hand, leaving visitors in awe.
Chemen is a traditional noodle dish from the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi Province. It has a history of over 300 years. The main ingredients include premium white flour, eggs, spinach, carrots, and seasonings. During preparation, the flour is first kneaded with salted water, covered with a damp cloth, and left to rest for over an hour. After being kneaded to a softer consistency, it is rolled out into thick, wide sheets. Then, holding both ends of the sheet, the dough is pulled into thin, unbroken noodles, which are boiled in hot water until cooked, drained, and then mixed with seasonings, chili powder, and hot oil poured over them before serving. The dish is characterized by its harmonious color, smooth yet chewy texture, and delicate fragrance.