Features: Renowned for being thin, chewy, smooth, fried, soupy, oily, sour, spicy, and fragrant. The dish features more soup than noodles, with the noodles served piping hot and plenty of oil. Main ingredients: Premium wheat flour, pork, daylily buds, eggs, wood ear mushrooms, tofu, garlic sprouts, etc. Brief introduction: Saucy noodles have a long history and were already very famous during the Qing Dynasty…
The stone pancake is a traditional food beloved by many, also known as the ancient griddle cake. Due to its long history, it is referred to as a "fossil" among Chinese foods. The ingredients of the stone pancake include flour, alkaline flour, refined salt, cooked lard, and fresh prickly ash leaves. It is made through several processes such as dough mixing, stone preparation, forming, and baking. Its characteristics are that it is crispy, fragrant, and...
A renowned traditional halal dish from Shaanxi, originally a Qing Dynasty imperial court delicacy, which later made its way to the restaurants of the ancient city of Xi'an. During the Boxer Rebellion, Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu fled to Xi'an. A year later, when the Qing government negotiated peace with foreign powers, Cixi returned to the capital. Officials from all walks of life turned out in full force to welcome her back, presenting wine and food to refresh the "Old Buddha." The imperial kitchen meticulously created a dish that was...
A famous local snack from Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. The basic preparation method involves cleaning pork intestines and stomach by rubbing them separately with salt and vinegar to remove grease and odor, then rinsing them in clean water until they become white and shiny, with no remaining smell. Next, they are roasted on a hot pan and cut 30 centimeters away from the large intestine, resulting in what is called hulutou. These are then boiled in a pot of clear water for 4…
A traditional famous dish from Shaanxi Province, originating in the Tang Dynasty and considered an imperial delicacy of that era. Made with chicken wings and a variety of seasonings, it earned its name because Yang Yuhuan, the beloved Imperial Concubine, had a particular fondness for this dish. Yang Yuhuan, the favorite consort of Emperor Li Longji (Emperor Xuanzong of Tang), was admired for her graceful plumpness and was also extremely particular about her food, having a passion for delicious cuisine—chicken wings being her absolute favorite. Following her instructions, the imperial chefs…
This is a delicacy from Wei Juyuan’s “Feast of the Promotion Banquet Menu.” It is meticulously crafted using a variety of fresh ingredients such as live soft-shell turtle, sheep fat, duck egg yolk, egg skin strips, winter bamboo shoots, egg white, and vegetable heart. The cooking process involves slaughtering and cleaning the turtle, then simmering it in a pot with seasonings...
Features: Made by cooking soft persimmons with flour, these pancakes have a crispy crust, soft interior, and a sweet, delicious taste. Main ingredients: soft persimmons, flour. Brief introduction: Persimmon pancakes are a specialty snack made primarily with soft persimmons—a regional specialty of the Guanzhong area—combined with flour. Their main flavor characteristics include a crispy crust, …
A popular folk snack from the Guanzhong region. It gets its name from the spiral pattern on the surface of the dough. The method involves pouring flour into a basin, first crumbling fermented dough and mixing it with the flour, then adding alkaline water to form dough crumbs. Gradually add warm water and knead into a dough. Knead the dough repeatedly, then roll it out into a sheet, spread rapeseed oil on it, and take some more flour, mix it with rapeseed oil...
A common home-style snack from the Guanzhong region. People in Guanzhong love wheat-based foods, with a wide variety of styles, and “Old Crow Head” is one of the more unique ones. In fact, it should be written as “老鸦脎” (Lǎowāsá), which is how locals pronounce it. This noodle-like food resembles the head of a crow — slightly pointed at both ends and thicker in the middle.
A traditional snack from West Shaanxi. It gets its name from its emerald green color, reminiscent of jade. It's a refreshing dish perfect for summer. During the Tang Dynasty, “locust leaf cold noodles” were a palace refreshment made by mixing locust leaves with flour to form noodles, which were then cooked and chilled in water or an ice cellar until ready to eat. The "Tang Six Codes" records: “The imperial kitchen shall supply locust leaf cold noodles in summer,” and “At all court banquets and feasts, those of the ninth rank and above shall be served these noodles.” Du Fu once praised them in a poem: “Lush green locust leaves, plucked and sent to the kitchen... Their jade-like freshness gleams in the bowls, fragrant rice wrapped with reeds, cooling as snow upon the teeth, urging one to savor these pearls... In the imperial palace’s frosty halls, ice is drawn from clear jade flasks. When the emperor seeks relief from the heat, this dish is always in season.”
Street Food Celebrity: Grilled meat skewers only became popular in Xi'an within the past 20 years or so. When they first appeared in the city 20 years ago, most vendors were from Xinjiang, as Xi'an didn’t have its own grilled meat culture—the tradition was brought over from Xinjiang. His name is Ma Kuaping, but locals simply call him Pingwa...
Mahu Noodle Restaurant is a long-established and well-known Halal noodle eatery in Xi'an, with over a decade of history. It has always specialized in a single dish—beef noodles—with a unique flavor that has earned it a strong reputation among diners. The place is often packed with customers, so it’s best to arrive before the meal rush, or you’ll definitely have to wait in line. The seasonings for Mahu Noodles may look simple at first glance,…
Pomegranates are said to have been introduced to China by Zhang Qian during his mission to the Western Regions in the Western Han Dynasty. The Lintong pomegranates have a history of 2,000 years, boast the highest production in China, and are a traditional export product of Xi’an, enjoying a long-standing reputation in Southeast Asia and the Hong Kong and Macao regions. As an excellent fruit, Lintong pomegranates are rich in vitamins and minerals, and their skin…
The brandished chopsticks are made from holly wood with suitable growth rings and sturdy trunks. During production, the wood is split into fine strands, then cut into chopstick blanks. These are scraped, rounded, and sanded into plain wooden chopsticks before the branding process. Brandishing is the most crucial step—skilled artisans use controlled, precise wrist and finger movements to burn elegant patterns such as wildflowers, grasses, and flowing mountain streams onto the chopsticks.
The Xi'an Stele Forest is China's oldest and largest stone library, housing representative works by renowned calligraphers such as Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan, Ouyang Xun, Ouyang Tong, Chu Suiliang, Huai Su, and Zhang Xu. Renowned both at home and abroad for its collection of exquisite stone inscriptions, it is highly favored by visitors from around the world. The steles in the museum span various dynasties including the Han, Wei, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing...
Lintong Chive Sprouts, also known as yellow-tipped chives, are a fine vegetable product for winter markets and are very popular among consumers. The cultivation of Lintong Chive Sprouts has a long history. As early as the Tang Dynasty, people used the hot spring water from Huaqing Pool to grow chive sprouts in winter. “…
Beijia Huajiachang Carrots The carrots from Huajiachang in Beitian Village, Beitian Township, are of premium variety, grown in fertile soil. They are known for their thick flesh, thin skin, bright color, sweet taste, crisp texture, round shape without cracking, smooth surface, blood-red inner flesh, fine and red core, and consistent thickness—qualities that have made them famous far and wide. Locals call them “Huajiachang Carrots.” Analysis shows these carrots are high in beta-carotene and also have certain medicinal benefits. Eaten raw, they help clear heat and moisturize dryness; cooked, they can moisten the lungs and relieve coughing, making them an excellent side dish in winter and spring. Lintong has become a well-known tourist destination with relatively high standards for vegetable supply. Based on market trends in Xi’an and other regions in recent years, as well as the processing potential for carrots, the outlook is promising—thus, there is a need for significant development. Currently, a high-quality seed base is being established with Huajiachang in Beitian Village, Beitian Township at its center, serving 12 villages downstream of the beaches in Beitian and Renliu townships to expand carrot cultivation. The scale will be kept to around 2,000 mu in the near term, while appropriate efforts will also be made to actively develop cultivation along both banks of the Wei River in other townships (towns), ensuring the full development of this premium variety of carrot.
The “sweet fermented rice” from Lintong, Shaanxi, is renowned far and wide. There are varieties such as “Clear Water Sweet Fermented Rice,” “Egg Sweet Fermented Rice,” and “Osmanthus Sweet Fermented Rice,” all rich in local flavor. The history of this delicacy can be traced back to the time of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that during the prosperous Tang era, when the country was at peace and its power was strong, Emperor Xuanzong, who loved grandeur, decided to build an unparalleled luxurious resort on Mount Li...
Melon is also known as sweet melon or fragrant melon. It is named for its sweet taste and also called fragrant melon due to its refreshing aroma. Melon is a summer fruit that helps beat the heat, and its nutritional value is comparable to that of watermelon. According to research, except for having slightly lower water and protein content than watermelon, melon contains no less of other nutrients. In fact, it has significantly higher levels of aromatic compounds, minerals...
Guokui is a type of flatbread made from wheat dough and baked in an iron pan. It's the perfect dry food to carry when traveling. There are many legends about its origin; one says it was created by Zhuge Liang after his first campaign, following the burning of Bowang Slope, to help stabilize Xiang Yu’s army morale. Another says that during the construction of the Qianling Mausoleum by Tang Dynasty troops, there were so many soldiers and laborers that food supplies ran short, often delaying construction due to hunger and resulting in punishment. In a moment of desperation, one soldier put dough into his helmet and baked it over a fire, creating this bread — hence its name. Guokui has a history of over a thousand years in Shaanxi. People have refined its preparation over time to enhance its longevity and aroma, paying strict attention to the kneading, shaping, timing, heat control, and baking process. The flour used is from high-quality wheat of the year, and the baking must be done in a specially made iron pan. Heat control is especially crucial — some fail either by burning or undercooking the bread simply due to poor heat management. Locals traditionally use wheat stalks as fuel for baking, which might remind you of the poem: “They burn the beanstalk to boil the beans, / The beans in the pot cry out, / ‘We grew from the selfsame root, / So why should you fry us now?’” During baking, the “one turn, two flips, three scrapes” technique is essential: one turn means constantly rotating the bread to prevent scorching, two flips refers to baking one side before turning to bake the other, and three scrapes is done when nearly done — scrape lightly and listen — if you hear a crisp sound, it’s ready. Then sprinkle some sesame seeds and it’s ready to come off the pan.