Simmered Shredded Squid Created by a chef at Mingde Pavilion Restaurant in Sanyuan County, Shaanxi during the early years of the Republic of China, this dish takes an extremely long time to prepare — the shredded squid must be simmered over a low flame for a full day and night. At the time, diners had to place their orders two days in advance. Both Yu Youren and Li Yimang spoke very highly of this dish.…
Lotus root is called “Lianlai” in Shaanxi. Crystal Lotus Root Cake is a traditional Shaanxi sweet dish made primarily from lotus root and prepared through multiple steps. Main ingredients: Lotus root; Side ingredients: Walnuts, green-red-green shredded vegetables, lard (leaf lard), cherries, starch (broad bean); Seasonings: White sugar, refined lard, as needed…
Three-Skin Shreds Legend has it that this dish originated in the mid-Tang Dynasty. At that time, three corrupt officials—Wang Xu, an imperial censor of the palace hall, and imperial censors Li Song and Li Quanjiao—were notorious for their greed and crimes. Out of anger, a chef surnamed Pin from the Western Market of Chang’an sliced pork skin, black chicken skin, and jellyfish skin into shreds as a drinking accompaniment, naming it “Skinning the Leopard.” In recent years, Xi’an Restaurant has refined and standardized the traditional preparation method…
Shaanxi Chestnuts are a specialty of Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, and a beloved fruit among the public. They are mainly produced in the Qinling Mountain region, with particularly large yields and high quality in Shangluo, Chang’an, and Zhen’an. The cultivation of chestnut trees in Shaanxi Province has a long history, dating back over two thousand years. Shaanxi Chestnuts are plump, large, and glossy, with delicate flesh, delicious flavor, and sweet taste...
A renowned halal delicacy from Xi’an, exclusively produced and sold by the “Yongxin Yi” Halal Food Store on the south side of the Drum Tower. It enjoys an outstanding reputation among the Hui community. The name comes from the fine, shiny threads made of eggs that are tightly wound around the cake, resembling yellow silk threads. Preparation method: The outer dough is made with premium wheat flour, eggs, maltose, and peanut oil...
A traditional delicacy of the Guanzhong region. Also known as meat flaky pie or white meat flaky pie. It has a history of over a thousand years. During the Tang Dynasty, all flour-based foods were generally referred to as "pies." The Ming Dynasty scholar Liu Ji wrote in *Comprehensive Compilation of Categories*: “Those baked in a pan are called pan pies or also baked pies; those steamed in a basket are called steamed pies; those cooked in soup are called soup pies; and those mixed with sesame are called sesame pies.” Legend has it that this pie evolved from the “white meat sesame pie” recorded in Duan Gonglu’s *Records of the Northern Households* during the Tang Dynasty.
Crow’s Head Dumplings (lǎo guā sā), pronounced "wa" for the first character and the second tone for the second, are a local Shaanxi dish similar to hand-pulled noodle dough pieces, but the dumplings in this dish are much larger than regular dough bits. The dough pieces are shaped with pointed ends and a round middle—resembling a crow’s head—which is how they got their name. The creativity of the people of Shaanxi is truly admirable. The method for making this dough soup…
Qín embroidery was once an important school of traditional Chinese embroidery, known for its rustic elegance and exquisite craftsmanship. Xi'an embroidery is most famous for its "Chuanluo embroidery," a form of hand-embroidery passed down among folk artisans, crafted from genuine silk gauze and colorful velvet threads. It is characterized by highly varied stitching techniques, with each cluster forming an independent geometric floral pattern. The entire embroidered piece showcases painting and color artistry, achieving an artistic effect where flowers bloom within flowers, blending illusion and reality. Xi'an embroidery products mainly include embroidered patches, wall hangings, and high-end garments as both practical items and decorative pieces. Among the decorative embroidery works, “The Maiden of Banpo,” “Couple Learning to Read” in double-layer fine gauze embroidery, and “Brother and Sister Reclaiming Wasteland,” are celebrated for their vivid characters and vibrant colors. These pieces have won awards at the China Tourism Souvenir Exhibition and Evaluation and the National Arts and Crafts Exhibition, respectively. Xi'an's felt embroidery is also distinctive, featuring patterns with classical Han and Tang dynasty flavors as well as folk elements unique to Xi'an. It employs various folk techniques such as weaving, needle threading, appliqué, and wrapping to embroider multicolored yarns onto felt. The resulting patterns exhibit a strong three-dimensional effect, with harmonious coloring and exquisite texture. Practical and ornamental felt embroidery items such as vests, cushions, and wall hangings are very popular, among which the Banpo painted pottery fish-patterned felt cushion won an Outstanding Award at the National Tourism Souvenir Exhibition and Evaluation.
In Xi'an, Lao Fan's is almost synonymous with Chinese braised pork. Chinese braised pork originated in the Warring States period, when it was called "cold meat." Passed down through generations and evolving over time, it eventually became the distinctive Qin-style braised pork we know today. Fanji Chinese braised pork has a history of nearly a century, created by a street vendor surnamed Fan. Thanks to its carefully selected ingredients, well-balanced seasoning, precise cooking techniques, and long hours of simmering...
In Xi’an, sour soup dumplings are as ubiquitous as Lanzhou beef noodles are in Lanzhou. Visitors need only stroll through the streets to spot them—and catch their aroma. Many vendors have signs, even if they’re just a few crooked characters written on red and white paper in large print, making them easy to see. Even without signs, most…
Root Noodle Dumplings, shaped like half moons and pale brown in color, come in sets of five petals each. Legend has it that they evolved from traditional local vegetarian banquets. Initially light and fragrant in flavor, they gradually became richer over time, leading to the coexistence of both vegetarian and meat-filled varieties. Their main ingredient is starch extracted from wild fern roots, used to make the wrapper, filled with fresh vegetables, quickly steamed, and then dipped in…
In the old days, when having a meal of meat was as exciting as celebrating the New Year, serving a large, glossy red pork knuckle slow-cooked to rich fragrance at a banquet was the most thrilling thing imaginable. But nowadays, with so many delicious foods available and dining trends having changed dramatically, what’s popular on the table are fish heads and chicken feet...
Sesame Seed Cake is a vegetarian food made primarily from special flour, vegetable oil, sesame seeds, and tianzhong grass. It dates back to the Eastern Han Dynasty and became a popular, convenient food item during the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that during the An Lushan Rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and his beloved Yang Guifei fled to Xianyang and bought Sesame Seed Cakes to stave off hunger. The famous poet Bai Juyi was also fond of this delicacy. Its…
Gētuó, a term from northern Shaanxi, is called máshí or hóu'ěrduo in the Guanzhong region. Made with buckwheat flour, it can be shaped into small, egg-sized balls and rolled on a clean straw hat for a refined version, or cut into thick pieces and hand-kneaded for a simpler method. Once cooked, serve half a bowl of dry gētuó and pour lamb broth over it to make “lamb-flavored gētuó.”
The development of Baqiao grapes began in the Han Dynasty. Two thousand years ago, Zhang Qian brought the first Eurasian grape variety from China back to the starting point of the Silk Road—Chang’an during the Han Dynasty. Since then, grapes have taken root and thrived in the fertile lands of the Three Qins region and at the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains, with their cultivation continuously expanding. During the peak of the Tang Dynasty, with social stability and prosperity, the planting of grapes and the culture of wine-making flourished as never before...
Preparation Techniques: 1. Making the Filling: Finely chop the pork and place it in a bowl. Add salt, soy sauce, sweet bean paste, minced ginger, and sesame oil. Stir well until the seasonings are absorbed into the pork. Then add chopped Chinese chives and stir to combine. 2. Making the Dough: Mix 2000 grams of flour with water to form a dough. Knead it into a smooth ball, roll it into a log, and divide it into 20-gram pieces. Roll each piece into a wrapper, fill with the pork mixture…
Preparation Techniques: 1. Mix 500g of flour with alkaline water to form a dough crumb, then add water to make a soft dough and knead until smooth. Mix the remaining flour with rapeseed oil to make a flaky dough. 2. Shape the dough into a log, divide into pieces, then roll each piece into a strip. Brush a layer of oil on top, stack, and let rest. 3. Mince the pork and mix with Sichuan peppercorn powder and fine salt to make the filling. 4. …
Jujube Puree Paste is primarily made with jujubes from Dali County, Shaanxi Province. These jujubes are oval in shape, with extremely thin skins, tender and crisp flesh, and are juicy and sweet. The paste made from these jujubes is red in color, sweet in taste, smooth and delicious, and also has the effect of nourishing yin and yang, making it especially popular among the elderly and children. Production technique: 1. Wash the jujubes and place them in a basin, then add…
A traditional famous dish from Shaanxi Province, originating in the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that Wang Yuanbao, a merchant in the capital city of Chang’an during the Tang Dynasty, had a strong fondness for hair vegetable and included it in every meal. Later, Wang Yuanbao became a wealthy man in Chang’an. Additionally, because the name of the vegetable sounds like “getting rich” (发财), wealthy merchants in the old days often served this dish as the first course at banquets, symbolizing prosperous business and abundant wealth…
Cured beef is one of the specialties of Shaanxi Province and a favorite local delicacy among Xi'an residents. As a halal food, it has a unique and distinctive flavor and is a historic traditional product from the ancient Jin capital (now Quwo). This cured beef was first created by the Hui Muslim Ma family in Quwo city and has a history of about 300 years. It was once served as a tribute to the royal court. Cured beef is...