Dali Water Basin Lamb

Dali Water Basin Lamb

　　Water basin lamb originated during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty and is also known as "June Fresh" because it is available around the sixth lunar month. Dali’s water basin lamb is long renowned. Made with boneless fresh lamb, bones, cinnamon, fennel, cumin, cardamom, salt, and monosodium glutamate, the dish involves three main processes: preparing the ingredients, boiling the lamb, and seasoning the cooked lamb. It is usually eaten with a baked flatbread or Chinese hamburger, accompanied by sweet garlic, chili sauce, and fresh garlic cloves, resulting in tender meat, clear broth, richness without greasiness, and a refreshing, unique flavor.

　　　　The former Tongzhou Prefecture government office is the birthplace of water basin lamb. The earliest method of cooking lamb used earthenware pots, yielding lean meat that was bright red, fat that was white and shiny, and a broth so clear you could see the bottom, prized for its deep, mellow aroma and rich taste. Because the shape of the earthenware pot resembled a basin, it came to be called "water basin lamb." Over time, as the number of diners increased and tableware evolved, people began serving the meat in bowls or on plates, but it is still commonly referred to as "water basin lamb."

　　　　To prepare "water basin lamb," the lamb must first be thoroughly washed before cooking to ensure it is snow-white and blood-free, then simmered for several hours in lamb bone broth before being combined with various mixed seasonings and slow-cooked for five to six hours.

　　　As is well known, eating "water basin lamb" in Dali is not complete without Dali’s "crescent flatbread." This bread gradually took shape to meet the needs of those enjoying water basin lamb. In the past, when eating lamb, the flatbread served as the staple food, but the original flatbread was round. To sandwich the meat, one had to break the bread in half, which was both uneven and inconvenient. Through daily life experience, people gradually realized that instead of breaking the bread in half, it would be better to cut it in half before baking. Because this convenient and attractive bread resembled a crescent moon, it came to be called the "crescent flatbread."

　　　　Crescent flatbread is crispy when hot and flaky when cold. For many years, a popular rhyme has circulated: "From Nanjing to Beijing, Tongzhou Prefecture makes the best flatbread—light to lift, thick to touch, hollow inside yet perfect for holding meat." Therefore, when enjoying water basin lamb, seasoned diners often place the meat from their bowl into the "crescent flatbread," gently pinch it together, take a satisfying sip of the rich lamb broth, and bite into the crispy flatbread. Ah, what an endlessly delightful culinary experience. As the saying goes, "Dali’s water basin lamb is fragrant, paired with crescent flatbread in clear soup. Come to Tongshenghe for deliciousness, nourishing your stomach and keeping you healthy!"

　　　　"Tongshenghe" Water Basin Lamb Restaurant has now also introduced hand-grabbed lamb ribs, specialty lamb head, roasted lamb leg, frozen lamb leg, cold mixed lamb offal, stewed lamb offal, and soy sauce beef, along with cooking seasonings, making it convenient for locals living away from home who love "water basin lamb" to enjoy it easily. Thus, "Tongshenghe" has sparked a whole new revolution in the city’s "water basin lamb" scene.